The Princess of Terschelling
by GwenuitHolland
Summary: A Disney crossover based on a Dutch sagas. A storm brings Jim,Amelia,Audrey,Dimitri,Anya and Milo to Terschelling, an island with a mysterious princess named Melody. Strange things begin to happen on this island. A JimxMelody story, Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I do not own Treasure Planet or any other Disney character I use in this story, nor do I own the Dutch sagas, on which this story is based.**

The princess of Terschelling

A strange castle

On the North Sea a terrible storm terrorized a modest ship with just one large sail and one small sail. The poor man in the crow's nest had a hard time keeping himself from falling down. The wind blew hard against the ship's side and drove it out of its course. The waves were like giant serpents, crushing down on every sailor who tried to work in this weather. The captain of this ship, Captain Amelia was a straight forward, firm woman with the quick reflexes of a cat. It was said she had her tail and ears everywhere, mutiny was not to be done under her watch.

"Mister Hawkins, leave that." Captain Amelia shouted through the howling wind to a boy of the age of 15 who was trying to secure the sails. "You better get to the live-lines, we will have to trust our course to the storm and think of our survival first!"

"Aye captain!" Screamed the boy back. He gave her a salute with his right hand to make sure she knew he understood. He set to work immediately. At the helm Dimitri saw his little brother run about. He himself was soaked to the bone by all the waves crushing over him. And the ship was no longer under his control. Oh, how he envied Milo and Anya, warm in the cabins below. Well, he didn't really envy Milo that much. That poor sucker must be very sick by now with all the wobbling of the ship.

"Master Dimitri!" In a blink of an eye captain Amelia stood beside him. "The storm is too much for us, we have to go with it." She said. "Your brother should be with you shortly with your live-line. Till then, keep your post and brace yourself." With that she was gone once again. Dimitri didn't like this. She didn't even tell him if he had to stand here all night! He sighed, she always left such things out. Shortly after that, his brother Jim appeared with the live-lines. He tight one around his brother's waist and tightened him to the mast behind him.  
Jim worked as hard as he could, with the wind and rain blocking his vision and balance. Sooner than he had expected he had finished his work, luckily the ship was small and therefore had a small crew as well. Glad that he could escape the mad storm, Jim went into the cabin where Milo tried to work with his navigation calculations.

"We are going to much south-east, soon we will crush ashore." He said when Jim came in. "well at least we are still heading for France as we were supposed to." Milo left his compass and peered outside. That was a big mistake, as soon as he saw the angry waves he turned green and quickly left the window. With a great sigh he settled himself down in his chair.

"Eh, are you alright?" Asked Jim him doubtfully while he closed the door to block out the storm.

"As long as I don't see the sea." Replied Milo beaten down.

"The captain says that it is no use. We have to wait till it's all over. I have already tight everyone to their live-lines." Told Jim him and he sat himself down on the little sofa in the cabin.

"Ah, that's fine to hear." Milo closed his eyes and relaxed completely. At that moment Anya came in through the inner door which lead to the other cabins. A strong, beautiful young woman she was. She and Dimitri would settle down and get married in France at the end of this journey. Anya had still family in France and they were sure to be happy there. Jim was still too young to live by himself, but he had a strong will for adventure. Years ago he got a job on this boat under Amelia's supervision. Jim and Dimitri's mother was still alive and whenever Jim came back on land, he traveled to Russia to see her. Anya was not exactly motherly, ladylike, but she did care about her little brother-in-law.

"Will the crew be alright out in that storm?" She asked and she dropped a towel over Jim's dripping hair. At that moment Audrey came in from outside. Completely blown away by the wind and soaking wet, she sank next to Jim on the sofa. Anya went to fetch her a towel as well. Audrey was a girl who once came on the ship as a stowaway, dressed like a boy. It didn't take Captain Amelia long to seek her out, but Audrey had proved herself useful as an expert in ships and was allowed to stay.

"I give up!" She exclaimed and she threw her hands in the air. "This weather is impossible, no one can sail through this!"

"I thought you always keep on trying?"Teased Jim, but he was tired as well and couldn't even manage smirk at her.

"I know when I'm beaten, this is hopeless!" Replied Audrey frustrated.

The following morning, everyone woke up to see that the ship had hit a sandbank and lay now complete stuck in low water. Jim and Audrey rushed on deck to see where the storm had taken them. Right across the low water stood a castle. It was completely surrounded by water and sand with only one route to a small village.

"That castle, it's kind of strange, don't you think?" Said Audrey.

"Yeah, it looks abandoned." Agreed Jim. Milo came to stand next to them. He had brought his compass and map with him and tried to figure out their location.

"If my guessing is right, then we must be at the north of The Netherlands." He said with a puzzled look to his map.

"That makes sense." Replied Audrey. "It lies within our course." Her gaze was still fixed on the castle. "Look, someone has seen us!" She suddenly cried out and started to wave at the man on the other side of the water.

The man brought his hands to his mouth and shouted: "If you come off your ship now, you can walk clear through the water!"

It was quite a distance, but the wind was now quiet and they could understand him easily. Just after that, Jim wondered why the man knew he could speak English to them. The ship itself was original Finnish and had a Finnish flag. But that was not important, they must be used to foreign ships stranding on their sands.  
It took them not long to get ashore. The water came only to their knees. While kicking the water out of their boots, the crew came a bit awkwardly on the cobbled streets of the village. The people came all to them at once to help. They seemed to exactly what to do, in small longboats they sailed to the ship armed with big hooks attached to thick cables. Once all the cables were tightened to the ship and all the longboats had returned to the shore, they pulled the ship with great strength to the quay.

"Now you will find no difficulties to return to your ship whenever you like, ma'am." Said one of the village men to Captain Amelia. He was fine dressed and with the way he presented himself, you could see that he was the mayor of the village. He spoke with a thick accent, but then again they all weren't English originally. No one, except Captain Amelia, but she was used to difficult accents by now.

"Thank you for your kindness, mayor." Replied Amelia.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Wanted the mayor to know.

"I prefer to stay on my ship now that it is possible, but I would like a few rooms for a few from my crew."

"Certainly, how many rooms do you need?"

"As you can see, my crew is rather small, 8 rooms will do."

"Very well, our inn has only room for 4, but our princess will arrive here soon. She will be glad to offer some of her rooms to your crew."

"The princess, sir?" Asked Amelia in astonishment.

"Yes, ma'am. God bless us, she is still with us. She comes here whenever something has happened. She has a way of treating the sick and injured and consults the widows who lost their husbands at sea. She plays with the confused children who lost their fathers and calms them. Many princes and noblemen have tried to take her away, but she vows she will not leave us. The princess is our little angle in need."

"What about her family?" Asked Audrey, who decided to join the conversation.

"The poor child lost her parents years ago to the sea. She has known the same pain as the people of this village."

"She is just a child? How old is she?" Interrupted Milo surprised.

"She is not yet 13 yours old, I suppose that makes her less a child nowadays, but she is still so little and fragile."

Jim wondered if it was alright for this man to talk this way about his princess. He hoped he could see her, the princess seemed to be impossible to be real.

**AN: End of chapter one, I hope you liked it. I know nothing has happened yet, but please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

The princess

The princess appeared shortly after their arrival. She came alone and she walked quite fast, one minute she had been a little dot in the distance, the next she stood before the mayor and the captain. The mayor bowed.

"Good to see you again, princess Melody."

Princess Melody smiled at him, then she spoke to Captain Amelia.

"My name is Melody, I am very pleased to meet you."She reached out a hand and Amelia shook it.

"Likewise, I am Captain Amelia. We are very sorry to have cost you trouble. A heavy storm caught us last night."

"Oh not at all. You all survived it, I hope." Replied Melody a bit distressed. Jim blinked with his eyes and stuck his neck out to get a closer look at the princess. She was indeed very small, she had long black hair and a fair face with big blue eyes. 'No wonder men had tried to take her away from this island.' Thought Jim but then the princess suddenly looked at him and gave him a smile. It was a girly giggle sort of smile and Jim swallowed uncomfortable. He gave her an awkward startled look in return and stepped back hastily. From behind he got a teasing punch against his back from Audrey. Jim looked annoyed, but Audrey clearly enjoyed herself.

"Can you offer them 4 of your rooms, princess?" Asked the mayor.

Princess melody turned her eyes away from Jim and nodded to the mayor. "Of course, with pleasure." She smiled to Captain Amelia.

"We are honored by your hospitality, princess." Amelia bowed her head in respect.

"Believe me, it is my pleasure. I am glad you are all save. Welcome to Terschelling." Smiled Melody. "You are welcome to dine with me as well. One of my servants will pick you up at six o'clock at the road to the castle. But who, may I ask, are my guests?"

"Thank you princess. I think it will be justified for my first mate and navigator to receive your kindness, also are my two youngest sailors. These are Milo, Audrey and Jim, I will leave them in your care. Jim's brother Dimitri is my first mate, he stands a little further in the back, but you will meet him soon." Replied Amelia.

Princess Melody bowed and smiled at her future guests. "I will see you all tonight then." She began to walk back to her castle. Jim had the strange impulse to stop her to ask her things. The strange thing was, he didn't know what he wanted to know. Maybe he wanted to know how she could smile so happily when she lived practically alone in that castle. How could she bring so much console to this village when she has lost it all herself. Personally Jim thought the village being selfish. They didn't deserve her help.

Around six o'clock, Jim, Audrey, Milo and Dimitri waited for the servant at the beginning of the road to the castle.

" Never thought I would be dining and sleeping in a castle." Said Milo amazed.

"Something about that castle gives me the creeps."Audrey shivered. "I wonder what."

"Oh come on, the princess is a young girl who prefers to live alone, surrounded by water, it is not really our business to know." Said Dimitri indifferently. He gave Audrey a carefree look and Audrey rolled with her eyes. With a sigh she crossed her arms.

"Someone is coming." Said Jim to get their attention from each other. A young pretty woman with a dark skin came into view. She wore an apron on her yellow, quite well looking dress.

"Hello, my name is Tiana. I am in the service of the princess. You'll can come with me." She said and with that she turned around and motioned them to follow. They did so quietly, something about this woman told them she was not someone you could cross. But the straight road to the castle was long and Audrey began a conversation with the woman.

"Why does the princess still live here, it must be very lonely."

"All she says about that is that she wants to help the people of this village and if she can, all of Terschelling." Replied Tiana.

"Why is that? They seem to leave her to her own fate to me." Wondered Milo aloud. Jim looked at him. Milo had been thinking the same thing!

"I believe she wants the people to remember and acknowledge her. She wants to be part of something."

"Well that's stupid." Growled Jim. "The village will only see her as something superior, they don't see her as one of them."

"You're quite the pessimist, aren't you?" Smiled Tiana. "Well we are here." She stopped in front of the big double wooden door and knocked three times. When the doors opened, a bald cook stuck his head out. He looked frustrated, but when he saw Tiana he calmed down.

"Come in quickly."He said breathlessly. "Oh why did the princess send you? We need you in the kitchen."

"Why?" Wanted Tiana to know. "I gave you all the instructions."

"Well, you see." Began the cook and she started to sweat. "When you tell us, it seems so clear, but the recipes are really difficult to make, especially at your speed."

"Well, alright then, I'm used to do two things at the same time." Sighed Tiana smiling. "Go to the kitchen and tell the others that I will be with them in a few minutes, First I will bring the guests to the princess." The cook nodded and ran off.

"Well." Tiana turned to the guest with a satisfied smile upon her face. "Follow me, I will take you to the dining room."

The dining room was big, way too big for one princess to dine in every day. They were all seated at the left side of the table where plates, goblets and cutlery were already placed. Tiana pointed each of them to their seat, around the head of the table where, no doubt, the princes would take her place. Audrey sat on the princess's left side and Milo on her right. Dimitri sat next to Audrey and Jim sat next to Milo. Tiana just left when princess Melody came into the room. She wore the same pink dress as before and sat herself down like this was just an ordinary house.

"You can relax, I don't like formalities here." She said to them smiling. "So let's begin again. Hi, I'm Melody." She gave them an awkward little wave with her hand and a girlish smile. "Now, I'd like to know who you are."

"I'm Audrey." Audrey reached out a friendly hand and Melody shook it gladly.

"My name is Milo." Milo said with a goofy smile and he too shook hands with the princess.

Then Melody stood up and walked to Dimitri."Then you must be Dimitri, nice to meet you."

"Yes, for me too." Replied Dimitri friendly. At last Melody walked back, around the table, passed Milo where Jim sat. She smiled at him and Jim gave her his hand.

"Hi, I'm Jim." He said while he shook her warm hand. Just when he began to feel a bit awkward, Melody pulled back her hand and walked quickly to her seat. Jim looked at her puzzled. 'What was that all about? '

**AN: I know the end is a bit sudden, but it seemed to me the best to end it here. I hope to make the next chapter more spooky, this was a warm up. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Your past

Jim silently ate his dinner while Audrey and Melody talked the evening away. Melody told her that she usually ate in her room or with the servants. The servants were her family now. In all, there were just 8 servants or so, for just one princess there was no need for more. Melody also talked about her past. She never had been a very good princess, she always had been the odd one who did everything wrong. When they went to a party, she tripped over the staircase or accidently stepped on her dance partner's feet.  
Jim laughed, he could see it happen in his mind, but Melody ignored him. "And you Audrey?" She went on. "You are about my age, how come you are a sailor?"

"My father was a sailor and an experienced ship builder, but one day he went missing and my mother did not know what to do with her husband's daughters." Audrey looked bitter. "We are taking too much after him and my mother had no use for such daughters. I ran away and came here before she could engage me into another family." Audrey looked disgusted at that. she was a pretty, Spanish girl with black hair till her shoulders and full, red lips, but she also had a quick mouth, it was fun to talk and prank with her, she and Jim were good friends. She had her annoying moments however, she could go on and on about her work, how the weather affected the wood, what damage a storm could do to a ship, how fine carpenter work was wasted to the salt of the sea sometimes when it was used in the wrong way and so on.

"What about your sister?"Asked Melody interested.

"I still write to her, it turns out that I was right about our mother's plan to marry us off, but my sister was cunning and choose a husband before our mother could choose someone for her. She marries a blacksmith. It is perfect for her, she can still do some rough work and help him in his work."

"How about you, Jim?" Jim looked up to see Melody's bright eyes sparkling at him.

"Oh, nothing, we lived with our mother in Russia till I decided I wanted to explore the world more. Dimitri already sailed with Captain Amelia as her new first mate after a storm had claimed her former first mate and I could come with them."

Melody looked a bit puzzled, but when she turned to Dimitri to confirm it, he gave her a nonchalant smile. "Yeah, he's right." He smiled.

That night the storm came again. Jim kept waking up and in his sleepy state he could hear voices in the wind. He opened his eyes again. The room was pitch black in the night. He listened to the storm and tried to fall asleep again. Slowly his eyes closed, there were the voices of the storm again. Ignore them and sleep! Jim told himself. Something moved in the corner of his eye. Impossible, he had his eyes closed! With a start Jim sat straight up in his bed. He looked around, but everything was still pitch black. Jim lay down again. He ignored something glowing yellow in the corner of the room and went back to sleep.

A thick fog covered the island in the morning. Jim got up quickly and searched the castle. Dimitri wrote in a little note that he had gone to Amelia's ship to check on Anya and another note from Milo and Audrey told him that they were in the village. Jim strolled down the castle, it was quite empty, but for a few servants. He found Tiana and she made him some breakfast. He ate in silence. Where could Melody have gone to? Jim wondered. The castle was not that big and he had seen quite a bit of it, but no sign of the princess.  
Jim walked into the garden afterwards, he was bored to death and gloomy. Jim noticed a low wall which could lead him to the roof, he climbed it and sat himself down on the rooftop. Now he had something to look at. The fog gave a mysterious and ghostly air to everything, but it made Jim feel better. It was like the weather shared his emotions. Just when he peered through the fog right below the roof, he noticed a figure there. It was princess Melody. Jim let himself glide off the roof, on the low wall and jumped down on the cobbled ground. He ran at first, but slowed down when he approached her. Melody did not act like she had noticed him at all. She just stared into the fog, into the sea. So Jim got himself to ask the most stupid question.

"So eh, why are you standing here?"

"This is the place where I lost them, my parents. At this part of the sea." Melody answered vaguely and kept looking forward.

"Why are you staying here anyway?" Jim asked. "The people here aren't your friends, there are your worshippers. Of what I have seen from the mayor is that he only sees you as a blessing to _them._"

"You're right."Replied Melody softly, still staring at the water. "But still do I belong here. I can't leave."

"Why?" Jim stared into the low fog as well, it was slowly crawling around and stared at him. Jim shivered.

"Tell me, what is it like to sail the seas?" Asked melody dreamily. Another shiver ran over Jim's spine and in pure impulse he grabbed Melody's hand and dragged her along, to the village, through it, to the far end of the shore. A little beach lay there, clear from the fog. Jim let go off her hand And sat himself down in the sand opposite the water.

"This is much better, don't you think?"

Melody nodded. "Thank you Jim." Jim startled a bit when Melody sat herself down closely next to him. He lay down to get rid of the awkward feeling. It did only help for a short time because Melody decided to follow his example.

"I know you didn't tell me all about your reasons." She said softly while she stared at into the sky.

Jim sighed. "Fine, in Russia I got myself in a lot of trouble. The cops caught me countless times, even for things I didn't even do. My mother tried her best for me, but I know she didn't understand me herself. That's why she let me sail the seas. Dimitri was the living prove to her that I could become a better person if she let me go." Jim turned his head to his companion and their eyes met. Melody smiled at him.

"I knew we had more in common. I want to leave as well, away from my past. To be honest, I became this _wonder_ for the people to feel better about myself. To know that I could do something right."

"I still think they do not deserve it." Jim growled.

"The old people? No, they laughed at me countless times, nor do the children of my own age who bullied me. But there are people here who do deserve my help and I'm glad that I can give it to them."

**AN: Hi, sorry for taking so long, but I did not know where to stop with this chapter, next chapter will continue with this conversation, but also will there be other things involved. See you then! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

A princess bound to the sea

N-nearly home. I thought when I looked nervously through the fog to the shore. It is not far now, hopefully our ship will hold a little bit longer against this storm. I looked up to the sky, a typhoon had ripped the clouds to bits and dominated the sky. Lightning shot down to the earth. It wouldn't be long before one would hit us. I turned to my dad and I could see that he was terrified too. Even he, who was said to have slain a mighty creature of the sea, could not stand against this violence. He gritted his teeth while he steered the ship to their home. It all went so quickly, one bolt of lightning had succeeded to hit out ship. The ship was in flame and we jumped overboard. A great shock went through me when I hit the ice cold water. When I popped my head out of the water and gasped for air I looked desperately around me. Where were my parents? They wouldn't have drown when they jumped off the ship, would they? No, my parents were great swimmers. Suddenly I saw them and they made their way towards me. I tried to call them, but the restless waves pushed me down again. It cost me to much afford to keep my head above the water and my small body got really tired.

"Melody!"

Mom? Yes that was the last thing I thought before I fainted. When my mind awoke again, I didn't remember anything. What a dream. I thought. Wait, where am I? slowly I opened my eyes. Where are my parents? When my vision cleared and I realized what I was looking at, a cold fear gripped my heart. My breathing went heavy, but I couldn't find my voice to scream. I was sitting against one of the walls of my home with the sea at my left. A face stared back at me, it had small glowing eyes, filled with evil desires and an poisonous smile upon its lips. There was no body, just a transparent face in mid-air. Suddenly it came to me, quicker than the speed of sound it appeared in front of my eyes. Cold, invisible fingers enclosed around my shoulders and a whisper told me not to forget my contract.

"Why?"Whispered Melody half awake.

"What?" Asked Jim surprised, he had fallen in a peaceful nap without nightmares. But Melody didn't answer his question, instead she stood up and said: "Finally the sun is out, now it is time for a swim."

"What?"Jim sat up straight to see Melody starting to untie the back of her dress. "Eh, what are you doing?" He asked with a raised eyebrow while Melody struggled to reach her back.

"Ha ha. I can't go swimming in my dress." Melody laughed a bit awkwardly while she was still trying to reach her back.

"Well good luck with that."Said Jim amused and sat back to enjoy the show. After Melody had untied the upper half from her dress, she got rather quickly rid off the rest. Clearly this was a normal routine for her. When she stood there in just a top and an long underpants from her waist till her ankles, she let out a deep sigh and kicked her dress happily aside. "Done!" She said smiling.  
Jim blinked to stop himself from staring. It was not just that this was the first time he saw a girl in her underwear, even though Melody was young and small, her body was already gracefully slim with a slight difference between her waist and her hips. Her fair skin radiated in the sunlight and her black hair, bound together behind her back, accentuated her big blue eyes even more. Melody reminded Jim of a mermaid. The beautiful nymph of the sea whose beauty could capture a man's heart and lead him to destruction. Melody walked to him, with her hands innocently behind her back she bowed over him and brought her face really close to his. Jim backed away a bit. When he saw her big, blue eyes so close he felt his face burning. Was he actually blushing? No, he never blushed, nothing could shame him. He broke rules all the time and did anything to survive all his live!

"Do you want to join me or not?"She asked him smiling.

"You're nor really going to swim." Said Jim rising an eyebrow.

"Sure I am." She replied and to prove it she ran to the water and jumped right in. Jim walked amused to the water and waited for Melody's head to pop out of the water. With a gasp she came to the surface and swam back to the beach. On her stomach she lay in the low water and Jim stooped down so he could talk to her.

"Not much of a swimmer, are you?" Asked Melody.

"I've not swum for ages." Jim said, he lifted his shoulders indifferently. "Russia has more ice than water and it's very cold there. You're sure you are not cold? The sun is not very warm and it's still a bit chilly.

"Oh, don't worry, the water is actually quite warm. When It's cold on the surface, the warmth goes into the water."

"Really?"

"Of course. Here, let me show you."Before Jim knew it, he got a big splash of water in his face from Melody. Annoyed he spat out the water that got into his mouth.

"It still feels cold." He announced to her in a low grumpy voice.

Melody brought her hand to her mouth and giggled. "Hi hi I'm sorry." She laughed and climbed on a near rock and sat herself down in front of Jim. The trousers of her underpants were stuck together by the water so her legs looked like one fishtail. Melody placed her elbows in her lap and her chin in her hands so she could look closer at him. Jim felt another heat in his face, he was blushing again. Melody looked really like she was in her element.

"You like the sea that much?" Jim asked her.

"It is the only reason I can stay here."Replied Melody happily. Jim wanted to ask her again why she had to stay here, but he knew she wouldn't answer. "The sea is my real kingdom."Melody continued. "It gives me comfort."

"So why do you want me to swim?"Asked Jim a bit skeptical.

"I feel a connection with you and so I want you to be part of my world." She reached out her hand and looked him deep in his eyes. Jim stood up and tried once again to shake off the awkward feeling he got from her touch when he slowly took her hand and lead her off the rock. Maybe it wasn't so bad to trust this strange princess. Jim thought and he smiled to her, but when he hoped to look deep into her blue eyes, he met mad red ones..  
They were glowing and angry. Slowly Melody's entire body disappeared in black smoke with only the red eyes left to see. Floating, black hair appeared, together with a cruel face of a woman with a gray skin. Jim jumped back with a scream and began to back away quickly. The smoke formed the rest of the woman's body and she began to glide towards him like a ghost.

"Come closer, insignificant boy. Do not dare to cross any of my lines or else you are…. DEAD!" With a high, furious cry, she sped to Jim and surrounded him with her fog, robes and black hair. Sharp nails touched his skin and a breath with the heat from the Hell blew in his face. "You do not know what you are doing, are you boy?" She hissed. "I'm afraid this is not your business, the _princess_ has a contract." She then let go of him and moved away. In a blink of an eye she was gone with a terrified Melody in her place.

"Please Jim." She begged with tears rolling down her cheeks. The doubt and terror must have been clear on Jim's face, because she panicked and ran to him. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

Jim was shocked. That was it. He thought. I'm going to drown like all sailors who have been kissed by a mermaid. This is it. The strange woman from before must have been a goddess of death or a banshee. But nothing happened, Melody broke the kiss and buried her face in his shoulder. She shed a few tears before she spoke.

"Now you know why I can't leave this place. I made a contract with the goddess Eris."

**AN: A banshee is a ghost of a woman who announces a death to the family with a horrible cry.**

**So? What do you think, it took me a long time to write this down because I'm at the end of my school year and I have so much to do! I also wanted it to be perfect so I changed a lot before I wrote it down. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

How does she cure the sick?

"Who is this Eris exactly?" Asked Jim when Melody had finally calmed down and they sat side by side on the beach, facing the sea.

"You never heard of her?" Asked Melody surprised.

"Well I only know of one sailor's story in which she appears." Replied Jim thoughtfully. "The story of a sailor named Sinbad."

"Yes, well she is the Goddess of Chaos. The whole world is hers to play with." Told Melody him. "This time she wanted to test what would happen if she ripped a girl from her parents and tricked that girl into a contract with her."

"What kind of contract?" Asked Jim interested.

"She spared my life and for that I have to stay here and watch over the village."

"Why would she care about this village?" Jim rose an eyebrow.

"She doesn't." Replied Melody bitterly. "she saw me grow up here in disgust and loneliness, so she made me help the people who don't even see me as a human being. That's how she is."

Jim kept silent, he didn't know what to say to this. He himself had thought Melody strange and had even considered her being a mermaid.

"To be honest, I'm not sure myself anymore whether I'm still human or not." Whispered Melody vaguely.

Just when Jim began to wonder how long he had spent on this beach, came Dimitri, Audrey and Milo to the beach, each of them with a troubled look upon their face. Melody and Jim stood up to hear what they had to say.

"Something strange happened last night on the ship." Told Dimitri his younger brother as soon as he stood before him.

"The people in the village ask for the princess, someone fell ill." Informed Audrey Melody at the same time. Jim and Melody had to split up their attentions to the different subjects.

"Who is ill?" Asked Melody Audrey and Milo.

"Someone at the inn."Replied Milo. "That's all we know."

"Alright, I will come. "Melody said and she looked at Jim to let him know she was leaving. Jim nodded hastily, the story Dimitri told him had all his attention at the moment.

"A woman?" He asked curiously.

"yes, according to Anya and the crew she appeared above the ship, on top of the largest mast. She spoke threatening words and looked very intimidating."

"What did she say?"

"Well unfortunately, she spoke in a different language, they couldn't understand one word."

Even though Eris had spoken English, Jim couldn't help thinking of her horrifying figure rising above the ship. "What did the woman look like?" He asked, but what Dimitri described, wasn't anything that resembled the goddess.

"She had white hair and glowing, blue eyes. Her skin was dark and she didn't look earthen."

"And she didn't do anything else?" Asked Jim doubtfully.

"No, she repeated her sentence a few times and then disappeared." Replied Dimitri, he was as confused as Jim by the story.

That evening Jim had two choices, stay at the inn and see how Melody cured the sick or stay on the ship and see the ghost-woman. He choose for the inn, he wanted to know why Melody thought herself not human. He also wasn't too keen to meet another goddess. Jim agreed with Audrey and Milo that they would investigate the ship and tell him everything afterwards if he would do the same at the inn.  
The innkeeper himself appeared to have asked for the princess's help. His wife had fallen ill with a cold as a result of the fog and the heavy wind in the past days. Jim requested a room and heard to his delight that just one had opened up that morning. After dinner Melody arrived and Jim asked her if he could come with her to see the patient. The innkeeper allowed it too, because he understood Jim's curiosity very well.

The wife of the innkeeper lay in quite a room. There was so much space that Jim could easily see everything from where he was standing. Melody bowed her head to the patient and started to speak to her. Jim couldn't hear a word and moved closer, but it wasn't the big room that made her words soundless. Even when Jim stood right behind Melody, he still couldn't hear what she or the patient said. When they were done mumbling, Melody turned to the innkeeper and assured him of his wife's recovery. After that, she left and everyone at the inn when to their rooms.

Jim suddenly awoke from his sleep and looked around in his dark room before he realized what had woken him. The front door of the inn. Jim listened, the door closed with a creaking sound, then light footsteps could be heard through the corridor and passed his own room. Quickly Jim got to his feet and went outside, into the corridor. Jim saw no one, but he could hear the footsteps and followed them to the room of the innkeeper's wife.

Tap, tap, tap. Then the door of the patient opened ajar and the footsteps went inside. Jim ran to the door and peered inside. The room was dark and silent. No one, but the patient herself was inside. Jim looked again, to be sure no one had come in and noticed a table. Jim blinked, he was sure that table had not been there when he was in this room a few hours ago. Even more strange was the fact that the table was filled with everything a patient with a cold needs to get healthy.

A sea breeze ran passed his face and when Jim remembered it was impossible for that to happen, did he hear quick footsteps again. Right in front of him!

Tap, tap, tap, tap. He could see them forming on the floor. His heart pounded in his throat when he followed them. The footsteps made for the front door and again it opened only ajar. Jim ran to the door, grabbed the handle and swung the door open. He knew the ghost had slipped through it only a moment ago and he reached out his hand to touch the midnight air outside the inn. He peered for some time into the darkness, but he couldn't find the mysterious visitor.

**AN: I did my best, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Threat or ally?

Jim woke up, grumpy and confused that morning. What was that yesterday? Was it Mel, I think not. But who else could it have been? What did Melody say to that woman anyway? Jim growled, got dressed and dragged himself towards the harbor. He didn't need to eat, he wasn't hungry at all. His mood didn't increase when it became clear that he had made the wrong decision yesterday…

The ship lay gloomily at the dock and everything around it was quiet. Clearly something happened here, so Jim went to Milo's room for the whole report.  
When he opened the door, Milo was standing in front of his bookcase, searching its shelves with great concentration.

"Milo?" Began Jim carefully when he entered the room and sat down on the comfy coach. When Milo realized who had entered his room, he left his bookcase and gave his guest a concerned look.

"Did you find anything yesterday?" He asked him directly.

"Eh no, I heard someone at night in the corridor, so I chased it's footsteps but to no success. It went to the patient's room and gave her all kinds of stuff to help her recover from her cold. I don't know how it managed to do that, but Melody mumbled some strange things to the patient earlier that evening." Jim knew his story wasn't clear, but his head had become one big blur and he couldn't get one thing clear himself.

"What kind of things did she say?" Asked Milo interested.

"Ah, I don't know." Jim frustrated rubbed his eyes, as if that would help him! "Even when I stood right behind her, I couldn't catch one word and the patient mumbled in the same way." A silence fell and Milo sat down at his desk to think about this unclear information.

"Tell me what happened here, Milo." Said Jim, interrupting the silence. "The whole ship's gloomy, what happened here?"

"The ghost-woman from Dimitri's story appeared. Only this time she came into the cabins. As if she was in some kind of trance, she stared into the distance while she spoke in her language. She scared the whole crew. She came to me too, suddenly she stood before me and repeated her words a few times before she moved on to the next cabin."

"Do you know of the language she used?" Asked Jim him hopefully.

"It's a big chance it is Dutch. At first I thought it was German, but she pronounced the 'G ' much clearer and louder. On top of that, it would make sense, since we are in The Netherlands."

"Can you translate her words?"

"Probably, but I'm afraid I need to hear it once more." Replied Milo thoughtfully.

So the next evening Jim stayed on the ship, on deck. It was clear that the ghost appeared wherever she liked and that it would be impossible to predict where she would appear next, but Audrey swore she heard Jim's name in the woman's sentences. So Jim took the risk of being the bate. If the woman indeed came for him, then she would appear outside again and leave the rest of the crew alone. Dimitri stayed outside too, at his usual post at the helm. The apparition had scared Anya well and he wanted to secure his fiancée's safety.  
It was not cold outside and the whole ship was lit by a full moon. Audrey climbed stubbornly into the crow's nest. "She is not going to scare me." She declared bravely. "All she does is threaten us with her words, I'll show her that I'm not going anywhere."

"Be careful Audrey, this is not just a prank!" Yelled Milo after her, but Audrey ignored him.

"I think she knows that." Grinned Jim. He knew Audrey just wanted to prove her bravery. He settled himself down on the wooden floor of the ship and waited. Milo sat next to him and closed his eyes, but he didn't fell fully asleep and his breathing stayed rather quick.

Hours passed by, the air grew colder and Jim, Milo and Dimitri started to shiver.

"Oh, i-it's getting very c-cold up h-here." They heard Audrey say. "W-where's that g-ghost? S-she should have app-eared by now, r-right?" Audrey stood s up and bowed over the edge of the crow's nest to see the others. "N-nothing yet?" She yelled to them. Then Dimitri suddenly gasped.

"Audrey get down here! Behind you!" He cried out to her. Jim startled by his brother's reaction, it seemed he had dozed off after all. When he looked up to the crow's nest, a woman surrounded in bluish light stood there. Her white hair flew in the wind and her eyes where big and staring, without pupils. Audrey screamed when she turned around and saw the woman floating towards her.

"No Audrey don't-" Tried Jim, but Audrey had already misplaced her feet on the climbing rope in her haste to get down. She lost her balance and fell. Jim and Milo jumped up, Dimitri jumped off his platform and ran toward her, but the ghost-woman was much faster. She came down in a blink of an eye and caught Audrey in her arms before she touched the ground.

Audrey growled and felt her forehead. "Wow, that was scary."She growled. " What happen-?" She cut off her sentence when she saw her savior. The woman, however, did not show any emotion at all and let go of her.

"Audrey, are you alright?"Gasped Milo when he arrived at her side.

"Fine, I don't know why, but she saved me." Replied Audrey confused. She looked at the woman. "Who are you? What do you want?" She asked her carefully.

"Wait, she is from flesh and blood?" Jim came a little closer too. "What is going on?"

"Jim Hawkins, jij bent niet welkom hier. Verlaat dit eiland!" _(Jim Hawkins, you are not welcome here, leave this island.)_ Spoke the woman with a low, inhuman voice and she looked directly at Jim. Jim stepped back, he didn't know what she wanted from him, but she didn't sound friendly.

"Waarom?" _(Why?)_ Asked Milo suddenly and the woman turned her head towards him. Confused watched Audrey, Jim and Dimitri her steps while she walked right to Milo. When she looked at him, her glassy eyes became clear and the bluish light fated. She blinked for the first time with her eyes.

"Kan jij mij verstaan?" _( Can you understand me?) _She asked him and her voice sounded softer and more human.

"Ja, ik prober." (_Yes, I try. Literally translated, he doesn't use the language correctly)_ Answered Milo thoughtfully and stiffly. This made the woman smile.

"Mijn naam is Kida, mag ik vragen wie jij bent?" _( My name is Kida, may I ask who you are?)_

"Ik heet Milo. Wat doe je hier? Waarom moet Jim vertrekken?" _( I'm Milo. __What are you doing here. Why has Jim to leave?) _Wanted Milo to know.

"Jim vormt een gevaar voor de prinses. Hij moet gaan, ook voor zijn eigen veiligheid." _( Jim forms a threat to the princess. He has to go, for his own safety too.)_ Jim didn't get any of this strange conversation, but he trusted Milo to fill him in later and waited silently.

"Wie ben jij precies?" _( Who are you exactly?) _Asked Milo interested.

"Ik behoor tot het oude rijk waar de prinses haar moeder is opgegroeid, Atlantis. Ik kan niet veel doen tegen de macht van Eris, de godin van de chaos, maar als Jim vertrekt zal de godin Melody met rust laten totdat haar contract is verbroken." _( I belong to the kingdom where the princess's mother grew up, Atlantis. I can't do much against Eris, the goddess of chaos, but if Jim leaves, the goddess will not harm Melody until her contract is broken.)_ Explained Kida.

"Welk contract?" _(What contract?)_

"Melody heeft Jim alles verteld. Er is niet veel tijd meer. Ik beloof dat ik hier niet meer terug zal komen als jij alles wat ik heb gezegd aan Jim verteld." _(Melody has told Jim everything. There is not much time left. I promise you I won't come back here ever again if you tell Jim everything I just said.)_ With this she started to glow again. She rose up into the sky and disappeared.

Milo looked concerned. "Jim, we need to talk." He said.

**AN: I know this is not my best chapter, a lot of things went wrong lately and I couldn't get much inspiration. Please don't say my grammar is horrible, because that won't make the next chapter better. ( I know because someone already said that to me)**

**Please review and be not too critical! **


	7. Chapter 7

Obey or not obey?

This Kida made it perfectly clear, Jim had to leave for Melody's sake. Normally there would be no question in Jim's mind about the matter. He would leave when he outlived his welcome and not bother about other's problems, but something had changed. Jim doubted his departure would do Melody any good, although Kida seems to think it would.  
Jim knew what his brother Dimitri would do, he would forget his own wishes and do what would be best for the people he wanted to protect. He had done that before, back in Russia when he almost left Anya so that she could live with her long lost family. In the end he learned that she wanted to be with him instead, but otherwise he would still have walked away. Jim never was such a hero and no one ever needed him for that matter, but he also didn't like to lose. He wouldn't give Eris the satisfaction of watching another human do her bidding. Not on his live!

"Oh really?" Grinned Eris to her glass ball in her dark realm of Tartarus. "I can see your thoughts, Jim. Who knew you were such fun." She grinned. "You want to challenge me?"  
Like chaos can come from every corner, Eris appeared and disappeared wherever she liked and like chaos she could take on every shape she fancied. Eris lay on her belly on her pitch black bottomless bed with her head in her hands. Amused she observed the boy in her glass ball and while she childishly swung with her feet, she took the form of a little child. "He's even cuter than Sinbad." She said with a dreamy high voice. "Ha ha, he wants to prove himself and completely forgets about the princess, how fun." Eris grinned even wider. "Melody is not going to like that." She sang happily. "Would it not be fun if she found out? Time for some tears and misfortune."

Jim strode down the street towards the palace, in his own typical way. Hands in his pockets and eyes on the road, kicking an potential flint aside. "I will watch Melody." He decided out loud. It was late at noon and everyone in the village was indoors for diner. Jim entered the long brick road to the castle.  
Milo probably wants to know more too. Jim thought. He and Audrey surely will team up to find things out for themselves. I figure it out myself, I don't need others. "Oh great" He added out loud when he saw someone standing in the doorway of the castle. It was Tiana, he was late for diner.  
Grumpy he walked on till he stood right in front of her.

"Oh good, you are just in time."Tiana said smiling. "The gumbo is just served, come on in." She pushed Jim enthusiastic through the doorway. At first Jim was confused, then he began to understand that Tiana was a hardworking, kind natured woman with great patience, she was not like his mother or Captain Amelia.

"Why are you so happy?" He asked to her grinning face.

"Gumbo is my specialty. I made it all myself, no need for the chef's assistance." Jim let her drag him to the dining room. All the guests plus Melody were already eating.

"Jim, where were you?" Called Audrey from her place at the table. "Come sit down. You have to try this, it's delicious."

Jim sat down and like magic, Tiana had a bowl of steaming gumbo ready for him. Jim carefully took a sip of soup from his spoon, it was indeed delicious. Silently he ate his diner and no one else felt like talking either. When diner was finished and Jim joined Audrey and Dimitri in Milo's room, the gathering for information began.

"What I like to know is who that Kida really is, what exactly does she know about the goddess of chaos?" Said Milo after a short time of silence.

"Yes can we trust her? She appears very suspicious to me. Maybe she is the goddess herself in disguise." Interrupted Dimitri.

"I don't think so, she was really worried when I spoke to her. I think she really wants to help Melody." Replied Milo, clearly convinced of Kida's innocence.

"So what do you think? Should we leave?" Asked Audrey and she looked at both the men in turn.

"I say we stay a little longer and find out what we can." Suggested Milo. Dimitri kept silent, but shook his head. After a while he said:

"I think you are right to suspect this place of evil, but what if we are the cause of that? Maybe we shouldn't push our luck."

"Look guys, I am the only one who is supposed to leave, but I won't." Said Jim suddenly and all the eyes in the room were immediately directed at him. "I met Eris once and from what I've heard from Melody I know that my departure won't change a thing and I won't simply obey Eris's orders. Eris doesn't play fair like that."

"But Kida was obviously desperate to help Melody, maybe you should follow her advice." Tried Audrey concerned.

"If I leave, I let her win." Jim Said simply.

"Jim, don't be so stubborn!" Yelled Audrey frustrated. But Jim was clear, he had made his decision.

That evening he didn't see the princess anymore. He presumed she had gone to bed early, but he was not entirely happy with that. He wanted to talk to her, ask her opinion about Kida. Jim was not tired at all and so he went out for a walk by the sea. It was peaceful outside, just a cooling wind in his face and the little light from the new moon. The sand looked gray and the houses almost black. When Jim reached the end of the village he sat himself down on the beach where he first talked to Melody. The beach where Eris appeared…

Jim sat back and allowed himself to grin, he kind of wanted Eris to appear so he could tell her he would not obey her. Of course that wouldn't be a good idea. As he watched the quiet houses, Jim noticed a faint light moving through the streets of the village. Quickly Jim sat up straight to get a better look. Yes there was something in the village, it moved between the houses and then disappeared from time to time. The little light seemed to go inside the houses, visiting them all from the front of the village to the back. It was a rather slow process and yet Jim couldn't stop watching. In fact he couldn't wait till the light reached the last two houses and come into his full view.

The light came closer, it was now clear to see. Jim stared at it, or her. He could not believe his eyes.  
It was the Melody's ghost …

**AN: Hi, I am so sorry it took so long. I tried to write, but I also had my sister's costume for a festival to think of. I tried to come up with ideas for the chapter, but all I got were costume ideas, my bad!**

**But I finally succeeded, Yeah! Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter too. Please Review! **


	8. Chapter 8

If you have to leave

"Melody?" Called Jim to the wraith and stood up. It heard him and looked in his direction. It was indeed Melody, she looked at him with big empty eyes and it made Jim's skin crawl. Something in his mind told him to get away, but his need to know more was stronger and so he called her again. She floated towards him really quickly, her eyes still big and staring and she had no emotion in her face.

"Jim." She said with an echoing voice. Her face did show some emotion now, she clearly was shocked to see him here.

"What happened to you?" Asked Jim shocked as well. "You are a ghost!" But Melody shook her head and smiled at him.

"No, I am the fog from the sea." She lay her head in her neck and with a great sigh she disappeared in thousands of little drops of water. A familiar sea breeze waved towards Jim.

"See?"Asked Melody quite cheerfully when she reappeared behind him.

Jim quickly turned around. He just realized something."You are the presence I followed at the inn! That's you, but how?"

Melody sighed, even though her eyes were empty , they looked truly sad. " It's a part of my contract." She replied. "In return for saving my life, I let her rule over my fate. Each night, my spirit units with the fog and I go into the village. The few people who see me at night are grateful for my presence. They see it as my great care for them, but they are dead wrong. I've no choice but to be here, I'm bound to it. Literally." Melody pulled up her nightgown to reveal her feet. They were skinned to the bone and looked ice cold and numb with heavy shackles and a chain to bind them together. "The same ice cold numbness I felt on the day I should have drowned. My feet are like ice and they hurt even though I hardly feel them, it gets worse if I don't obey Eris." Jim stared at her feet, their state was terrible and Jim shivered in horror. "I understand that Kida has come to you." Continued Melody.

Jim only nodded, he lost his words at this moment.

"Please follow her advice, leave. Eris can do terrible things to you and your friends, believe me." A few tears escaped from Melody's empty eyes. In an impulse Jim moved his hand to her face to wipe the tears away, but his fingers passed right through her cheek and all he felt were tiny drops of water. With a shock he withdrew his hand and looked at her with more concern than he meant to show. He came to realize he was not sure anymore. He wanted to comfort Melody, to save her if he could or protect her at least. He wanted to be there for her. He never had such strong feelings towards anyone before. Not even towards his mother when his father ran off. Back then he became incapable of trusting anyone and selfishly left his Mother alone, but not now. He wanted to set his faults right.

"I'm not leaving, the others can leave without me if they want." Said Jim quite firmly.

"No, you must leave, please Jim don't try to defy Eris's power."Cried Melody. She sounded very distraught and lay both her hands against Jim's chest. Why her hands didn't pass right through him, he didn't know, but it got his attention with an ice cold grip. Melody stared him deep into his eyes and he looked straight back at her.

"You cannot make me leave, nor can Kida or my friends." Jim grinned. "I stay."

Melody closed her eyes, she seemed to calm down. "I understand that you have your own reasons for this, but believe me when I tell you that I too tried to fight Eris and all I got was more pain." Melody opened her eyes again and looked very serious. She continued her story with a much softer voice. "I still try to escape, every time at night I got time to think. You see, it is not a coincidence that Eris asked me to watch over the people at night. You may think that chaos is darkness, but Eris is not the goddess of the night. Chaos can only happen when elements are moving. At night most of these elements are calm. Of course, a disaster with nature can always happen, also at night. For us that would mean a flood, but Eris is neither the goddess of the sea nor the winds, she can only make things worse. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Are you saying that Eris has less power at night?" Jim couldn't believe Melody found Eris's weak spot already.

"No, her power is still the same. It is the people she can use for her games by tricking them into a contract with her or attacking them for her own fun with her beasts and magic, but she must have a reason. If we don't do anything to provoke her, she will not get to us."

"But we do provoke her by trying to break her contract with you." Jim pointed out and he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but at night she doesn't pay much attention to us, because her chaos can't do much then."

Jim nodded. "Alright then." He said and he put his hand on Melody's transparent hand ( actually he placed his hand in hers). "I will stay here, I want to help you. Let's meet here now and then to strategize."Jim smiled to Melody to persuade her and she gave in. she gave him a sweet smile in return.

"Yes, together we are stronger, let's try." She said and she sounded more lively and more like her old self.

"But my friends are getting curious too, thanks to your friend Kida." Muttered Jim. "It would be best if they left without me."

But of course that was easier than done. The next morning there was an explosion of arguments when Jim tried to tell his fellow sailors to leave and abandon him. Especially from Audrey.

"Are you crazy? Why would you want to stay here? You can't do anything alone. There are creepy things going on here and there is nothing you can do about it. It is the work of a goddess. Of chaos of all things! No, I'm not leaving you here!" Audrey was furious at her friend for suggesting such a thing.

"Audrey is right Jim." Agreed Milo. "If you want to solve this mystery then I'm staying here too."

"We are not leaving sailors behind, mister Hawkins." Said Captain Amelia firmly. "If it is indeed dangerous and we have to leave, then we will do that with you on board with us."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but you have to leave without me." Replied Jim stubbornly.

Captain Amelia looked concerned, but in the end she gave in. "As you wish, I hope you know what you are doing. Take care of yourself, mister Hawkins." She said and she gave him an encouraging smile, something she rarely ever did.

**AN: Hi, I apologize for my former chapter, it was definitely not my best, but I'm quite pleased with this one, please review! **


	9. Chapter 9

Plans to ruin

The ship sailed through the waves of the sea again. Dimitri was dismissed from his post by the captain, which she took over herself. Dimitri watched Terschelling shrink into the distance as he stood on deck. They went fast, what a favorable wind not all can do. In a few minutes Dimitri became incapable of reaching his younger brother ever again. At their last meeting just a handshake and a meaningful nod had been enough for both of them. Dimitri would continue his plan. He would go to Paris and marry Anya. But Anya had her own thoughts about the matter and didn't want to hold anything back. She walked right up to her fiancé and spoke her mind.

"We should have tried to bring Jim along." She said sadly.

"No, that was his choice, besides we've been through enough. We are going to Paris as planned." Replied Dimitri without even looking away from the shrinking view.

"Dimitri, he is your family!"

"Yeah and that's why I know he will be fine."

Anya couldn't believe her ears. "Do you have to be so blunt? You act like you don't care what happens to Jim!" Anya really wanted to slap him right now.

"Jim wanted to stay, so his safety is his own concern, besides he is too stubborn to listen to anything I say."

"Do you guys need to be so stubborn? Arg!" Anya through her arms in the air out of frustration. "I give up, forget it!"

Anya should know her boyfriend's behavior by now, but still it drove her crazy when he didn't even consider her thoughts. Irritated she left his side and went down to her cabin. She let herself fall on top of her bed and closed her eyes.  
Men, at least talk to each other about things. Won't Dimitri regret leaving his own brother behind? She thought. Eventually her mind became calmer and she fell into a deep sleep. In her dream she was walking down a…. road? No it was dried up sand! She was walking over the bottom of the North Sea back to Terschelling. The castle and the village became visible out of the fog. Anya quickened her step. At the end of the village was a beach and a figure in the distance. It was a little girl with flying black hair. Melody? "Melody! I need to talk to you!" Cried Anya to the figure. She ran the last bit till she stood right in front of the little girl and looked down at her.

"You want to speak about Jim?" Asked the girl in a mysterious voice

It isn't her! Realized Anya in a shock. The strange girl placed her hands on Anya's shoulders. She lifted her head and looked at her visitor. She had a oval face and red lips. Her eyes seemed to glow with yellow light, but her irises were strangely red. This was no normal girl. Anya tried to back away from her, but the girl had an unnatural strong grip. Her mouth widened into a mad grin, while the locks of her hair flew around her face.

"Don't worry."She whispered, but not at all in a comforting way.

"Who are you?" Asked Anya, she managed to keep herself calm and there was even anger growing in her mind.

"Eris." Hissed The girl and she opened her eyes wide. Wider than eyes normally can, they were half the size of her face now. Also her hands grew, her body stretched out and she rose above Anya's head. Big locks of massive black hair intermingled with the clouds of the sky and it grew darker and darker. When Eris had the full size she desired, she crossed her arms and looked down on the mere human below.

"Shall I bring you back to that boy?"She asked irritated, as if Anya had offended her. Anya did not know how to answer. She was entirely powerless against this giant goddess. "In that case, let me choose for you." Smiled Eris and she brought her terrifying face close to Anya's. she blew something that was familiar to dust in Anya's face. Anya felt her body become heavier and her vision became unclear. She watched the sand coming closer and closer until she hit it and the world around her became completely dark.

Jim went back to the castle. He had been standing on that dock for far too long and he wanted to forget that awful feeling in his chest.  
Once again he strode down the large corridors of the castle in search of Melody. He didn't exactly know what he would say to her when he found her, but he would think of that later. Without any attention to be polite, Jim opened every door of every room he came across. Finally he found her in the tower on the right side of the castle. Jim walked into the round room which he assumed to be hers and found Melody sitting by the window, which was facing the harbor. She had her head in her arms and was fast asleep.  
Quietly Jim walked to her bed at the end of the room and sat down, assuming he had to wait there for a while. He just sat down however when Melody lifted her head from her arms in a great shock. She looked about her in alarm and saw Jim. Jim gave her a smile. It was his way of saying: 'Don't worry, it's just me.' But Melody didn't calm down and jumped up. She ran to Jim and grabbed his hand.

"Something happened on the ship, Jim." She said breathless.

Jim didn't bother to ask her how she knew that and enclosed his hand around hers and dragged her along towards the dock. In their way through the castle, they passed one or two servants who tried to enquire where the princess was going to, but neither Melody nor Jim had time to answer. When they entered the small harbor, the ship was still heading for open sea.

"The wind is still too strong, how can they turn around?" Yelled Jim while running.

"No, let me!" Gasped Melody behind him and suddenly Jim didn't feel her hand anymore. Surprised he stopped and turned around, just to see Melody slowly disappear in the wind. Her eyes were the last to disappear and just before she completely vanished, she moved close to Jim and pressed her unseen lips upon his.

"It will be alright." Her voice said. Jim couldn't help but stare. He saw the shape of fog fly passed him and spread over the sea. Where was Melody now? Had she become one with the sea? Jim ran to the end of the dock and watched everything closely. At first he didn't know if he had to watch the sea or the sky, but then he heard something that sounded like a fishtail against the water and looked below. He only saw a glimpse of pink, but when he looked towards the ship he saw a mermaid flipping out of the waves and swim in full speed to the ship. Jim grinned. He knew _she_ was a mermaid!

**AN: I'm so happy with this chapter, please review and let me know what you think! The next chapter and the ones after that may take a while, because I will get very busy for school.**


	10. Chapter 10

Jim's feelings and Melody's story

Mermaids are very strong in their arms, they can swim faster than any human, mammal or fish and can lift their own weight as they climb onboard of a ship.  
Jim stood a bit restless on the dock. He saw a small figure with a fishtail grabbing the wooden balks of the ship and lift herself up. With her head first, she crammed herself into one of the small openings in the ship between the bottom and the wooden side. Jim wished he was there to help her or that he at least had some binoculars to see everything closer. He saw two pairs of arms reach out to pull Melody onto the ship. Jim guessed those arms belonged to Milo and Audrey. It seemed like a thing for them to do and he also didn't see Audrey in the crow's nest. Jim just hoped they would listen to their visitor. After all, everyone knew of the tricks of a mermaid. But luckily they had Anya and Audrey onboard, the both of them wouldn't be affected by a mermaid's charm, not to mention Captain Amelia, they could easily believe what they saw. Also it was not in Captain Amelia's nature to ignore a messenger.  
Jim was right. Melody got pulled onboard and a few minutes later an anchor began to lower down into the water to brace the ship against the strong wind. Slowly the ship began to turn around and sail back to Terschelling.

It took a while before the ship reached the shore, the wind was still very strong and pushed the ship right back to open sea. Had Eris somehow control over that wind? Wondered Jim, but when the ship finally lay still against the shore he had other things to worry about.

"Anya."Jim hadn't expected Eris to actually attack someone to cause her chaos. Anya lay on an emergency stretcher, carried by two sailors. She didn't move at all. Quickly Jim turned on his heels and followed the whole crew to the castle. Jim spotted Dimitri's back. He was walking right next to the stretcher with his eyes fixed upon his fiancée's face, not daring to look away as if she would disappear if he did. Jim looked away and kept his place at the end of the line. His friends had the chance to be free of this place. All because he had to challenge the goddess of chaos, she had endangered someone close to him. Anya. Jim wouldn't know what to say to his brother when he came to face him again. What if Anya didn't recover? It would be his fault. Again! He couldn't do anything right, he couldn't even save one friend. Should he just give up on helping Melody too? What good had he done for her so far? Nothing, he had only caused her to worry about people she barely knew. She already had enough worries, she even went through the trouble of swimming to the ship in a form which probably had been a secret for many years. Jim sighed and groaned miserably, not to loud of course, he didn't want to alarm his companions. How stupid had he been. Melody, he'd completely forgotten her! They had reached the gates of the castle and Jim looked back to the road from the dock to the castle. No sign of her. Maybe she had changed her body into fog again. Thought Jim and he raised an eyebrow. Was she able to get out of the water by herself? What had happened to her after the ship reached the shore? Without another word to his mates, he ran back towards the dock. He had been so blown away by Anya's condition that he had left Anya's savior behind. How stupid could he get? Just as Jim jumped on the wooden construction of the same dock he had been standing on before, he spotted her. A little head with black hair and stunning blue eyes appeared a few times into his view at the end of the dock before she fell back into the water again. Jim ran to her and crouched down and reached out his hand to her. He gave her an regretful smile but said nothing. What could he say? He felt terrible and ashamed. Melody gripped his hand, but the dock was too high for her and even if Jim were to pull her up with both hands, she would hit her head against the bottom of it. He thought of another approach. He went to sit on his knees on the very edge and bend down.

"Spread out your arms." He instructed and Melody did so without asking questions. Jim placed his hands in her armpits and lifted her up out of the water. She was not at all heavy and she left the water with ease, but now came the point of getting her on the dock. Jim hadn't thought about that and suddenly he found himself looking her straight in her eyes, while her nose hit his. Without legs Melody couldn't stand and Jim could not move backwards on his knees. The only option he had was to get slowly up on his feet and move one arm under her fishtail where usually her knees would be. As he wobbled a little to keep his balance, Melody closed her arms around his neck to hold on. Jim felt his face burning and tried very hard not to make contact with her face. When he held her in his arms and looked at her, he lost his knowledge to speak. She is so beautiful! He thought to himself. Jim just wanted to stay like this and say nothing. But.. idiot, just thank her, you can do that! he yelled to himself inside his head. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, so he closed it again. If he said something and talked to her casually, the situation would become awkward and she would ask him to let her down. Maybe Melody had some power over him. He shouldn't worry about that, what about the wellbeing of Anya? He would check on her as soon as possible. Jim promised himself, then he moved closer and kissed his mermaid..  
Some sort of power came over him, a feeling he never had before and he kissed her as long as he wanted. When her finally released Melody's lips he saw a deep blush upon her face and her eyes were wide and unbelieving. Jim thought this strange and raised an eyebrow for she had kissed him two times already. Jim had regained his ability to speak and started a conversation at last.

"Thank you Melody. I didn't mean to leave you here. It's just that I was extremely shocked when I saw Anya. She is my brother's bride to be, you see? She is very close to family to me."

Melody blinked three times with her eyes to wake herself into reality again and smiled, followed by her usual girly giggle. "Of course Jim, don't worry about it." She then looked away. "I dragged you and your friends into this." She whispered and her voice shook heavily. "All of it is my fault."

"No, it was Eris."Jim had to control himself not to yell. "It is not fair for you to take responsibility for this. You never wanted to make a contract with Eris, she forced you. I choose to challenge her and brought this to my friends, but I'm going to fix that." Melody looked at him again and she had hope in her eyes. Jim brought his face even closer before he spoke again. "And I want to save you. I don't know how yet, but I will try."

"You do not know how much that means to me." Melody replied softly. "I was always alone. After my parents died, every year noblemen and princes came to take my away from here, but as soon as I told them that I wanted to stay here, close to the sea they turned away. They never said they wanted to protect me. My feelings towards them were cold so it never caused me pain, but I do love you and to hear those words from you brings me more joy than you can imagine."

Silently Jim sat her down on the edge of the dock. Her tail began to glisten and after that she was wearing her pink dress again, with her bare feet swinging playfully under it.

"Thank you for your help. I forgot that the dock was so high and the ship blocks the rest of the quay." Said Melody gratefully.

"Don't mention it."Replied Jim nonchalantly. His heart was still beating fast, did she just say that she _loved_ him? But he ignored that. "So are you really a mermaid or a human?"

"Well both, did Kida tell you where she came from?"

"Yeah, according to Milo she said she came from Atlantis where your mother grew up."

"Atlantis is a city under the sea, the kingdom of King Triton, the sea king. My mother was the youngest of the seven mermaid princesses. King Triton, my grandfather was one of the sons of the ocean god Poseidon."Melody explained.

"But then if you are thirty present god, my is a goddess after you?" Asked Jim surprised.

"Gods, especially powerful ones, like to bully each other. Me being a descendant from Poseidon gives Eris a perfect reason to torment me." Melody sounded angry and disgusted, the swim had restored her pride as a child of the sea. "Thanks to Eris I can't go near my grandfather. That's why he sends Kida sometimes, but I still have my own power. I will do what I can." She suddenly touched Jim's hand and looked at him, her face a mixer of compassion and determination. "I will do whatever I can for your friend Jim, I promise." She said and Jim believed her.

**AN: So that didn't take as long as I feared, luckily the thing I'm so busy with is the musical of the Little mermaid, so I got plenty inspiration! I hope you will review, because this is my best chapter yet. PLEASE REVIEW! **


	11. Chapter 11

Anya

No one could sleep that night. The whole crew sat together in one of the huge parlors of the castle. Some sat down on only a rug, close to the warm fire in the big hearth, others had taken their places in the window-seats or in the other chairs. Everyone was staring at either the fire or their own feet and avoided any contact whatsoever. Only Dimitri was absent, he stayed in Anya's room. She hadn't moved one muscle since Dimitri had found her in her cabin back on the ship and everyone feared for the worst. Jim sat in an armchair by the window together with Milo and Audrey, but the three of them too kept quiet and pretended to be alone. Jim felt terrible, he still wasn't able to talk to his brother, even though that would help him to figure out what had happened to Anya. What did Eris do to her? And more importantly, could Melody help her? She said she would try, probably right about now…  
Jim stood up and walked to the doors which lead to the balcony.

"Jim what are you doing?"Hissed Audrey in a high muffled voice.

"I want to know what is going on and I know the quickest way." Replied Jim determined and continued his way to the balcony. When he stood on the balcony he looked to his right. Perfect! He thought. Anya's balcony is just one jump away.

"Jim, what are you planning?"Audrey entered the balcony as well, her face highly irritated.

"I have to get to Anya's room fast and this is the quickest way." Reasoned Jim nonchalantly.

"Are you crazy? You can use the corridor to get there." Tried Audrey, but Jim ignored her and readied to jump. He heard Audrey sigh, but he didn't care. If he went through the corridor, someone in Anya's room might hear him coming and flee before he could do anything. This someone could either be Eris or Melody. Melody liked her powers to be secret and so she might panic if she heard someone approach while she did her curing ritual. Jim had to have a chance to talk to her, hear from her firsthand how bad Anya's condition was.  
Jim made the jump and landed on all his fours, just behind the low barrier around Anya's Balcony. When he looked back Audrey was gone, she probably went through the corridor to Anya's room and dragged Milo with her. Jim had to be quick. He tried the balcony doors which were looked. His only option was the window, just above his head. It was a small square, but big enough for him to go through. Jim stretched out his hands towards it and jumped. He reached it! With all his strength he pulled himself up and sat his feet in the window frame. So glad he made it, he jumped right down on the floor and made too much noise. For a moment he had forgotten to be quiet.

Dimitri woke up with a start and for a brief moment he saw Melody's face as she quickly floated away from Anya's head. Dimitri stood up from his chair, which faced Anya's pillow from the other side and almost knocked it over in the process. Startled by Dimitri's reaction, Melody hasted away and came to a halt behind Jim.

"What is going on?"Asked Dimitri confused, he clearly wasn't mad at Melody, but Jim was not so sure Melody realized that. When Jim looked behind he was shocked by her mournful eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Jim." She whispered and after that she made her escape from the same window Jim had used. In an impulse Jim grabbed her hand to stop her, but once again all he felt were little drops of water. Jim looked at his brother and waited. First he had to explain everything to him, then he could go look for Melody.

Dimitri looked at Anya's sleeping face and then back to Jim. "What is going on, Jim?" He started, thankfully in a normal manner. "What was that just now, it looked like Melody in some sort of spirit form."

"That was Melody, she tried to cure Anya the same way she cures the villagers and sailors who come here with an injury." Jim had no choice but to tell Dimitri everything he knew. He had the right to know. "Melody is the grand-granddaughter of the ocean god Poseidon, she has the will over the fog. She can cloak herself with it and visit her patients, that's what you just saw." Jim gave Dimitri a very serious look. "But she is very shy and likes herself to be invisible to others. Until now, I was the only one who knew of this. That she is not fully human." Jim finished that last bit with a bitter taste on his tongue, it felt like an insult towards her. "Her mother was a mermaid-princess from Atlantis."

"And that woman on the ship, Kida?" Asked Dimitri interested, he clearly was putting the facts together in his head and didn't want Jim to hold anything back. He was ready for anything now.

"Kida is a messenger, sent by Melody's grandfather king Triton. The sea king." Explained Jim thoroughly.

"I see, well can she save Anya?"

It took Jim some time to give him his answer, he had to choose his words carefully and didn't want to alarm Dimitri too soon. "Melody promised me she would help." He said eventually, but then the image of Melody's face appeared in his head. She had tears in her eyes, had she failed? Jim had to talk to her now. "Sorry Dimitri." He said hastily. "I have to find Melody and talk to her."Jim didn't want to be stopped so he ran out of the room and avoided Dimitri's face as he ran passed him.  
As Jim had predicted were Milo and Audrey eavesdropping at the door and they looked quite shocked when he stormed out.

"Hey wait up Jim, where are you going?" Jim heard Milo shout after him, but he had no time to explain things again. After a while he heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't care. Let them follow. He thought. I only need to find that door. During one of his strolls through the castle, Jim found a small backdoor which lead to a few stairs around the village and straight to the beach. Jim hurried off the staircases, descending three steps at the time. After the last one, he looked about. It had to be here somewhere. Ah there! Jim's heart merrily skipped a beat as he saw the small narrow door, at the far corner of the large hall. Jim grabbed the handle ant swung it open. In a second he stood outside, looking through the dark night to the harbor and Captain Amelia's ship. Behind it lay the sea, calm and peaceful. A cool breeze blew in Jim's face. It was a beautiful night and all the stars sparkled brightly above his head. Jim quickly descended the small stairs to the bottom of the elevation on which the village was built and ran to the beach.  
Half on the beach, half in the sea lay a figure on her stomach: Melody.

She had her head in her arms and looked very pitiful. Jim quickened his step and when he came closer he could hear her talking to herself.

"What good help am I? What should I do, I can't even save one person from Eris. What hope of freeing myself have I? Nothing, I'm doomed." She told herself though big sobs.

Even though it might be true what she said, Jim didn't want her to feel this way. He made the last few steps in her direction and spoke:

"Am I glad you speak in English to yourself, or otherwise I wouldn't know what to say right now."

"Jim!" Melody's head shot up and she looked at him. Jim gave her a small grin and crouched down before her so that they could talk. For a moment he looked down at her body, she had transformed herself into a mermaid again.

"Why are you lying here?"He asked her carefully.

I always lie down in the water when I'm upset. It is where I belong. At such times I want more than anything to swim away into the open sea and never return." Melody sobbed in pure misery.

"Once you asked me what it's like to be free. I will show you if I could. Right now." Jim pulled her up so she could sit in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. He wiped her tears away with his finger and then went on with his hand to her hair. He held her head towards him. Should he be doing this? Shut suddenly through his head. She was just a child, but then again so was he. In a few years their age wouldn't matter anymore. What if he ran away with her right now? Eris wouldn't notice, it was nighttime after all!

"Jim?" Began Melody softly as he broke the kiss. "I will keep trying, but I'm afraid that Anya is in great danger." Tears began to form in her eyes again.

"What happened to her?" Asked Jim shocked, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to hear it.

"Eris brought her into a deep sleep, I can't reach her mind to talk to her." Answered Melody. Normally I talk to the patients, explaining things to them and also speaking with them in a ritual, but Anya has to response. I was trying to reach her with my own mind, but I was interrupted-"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Jim felt terrible, it was his fault again.

"No I can try tomorrow." Jim looked her closely in the eye. Her eyes sparkled suddenly with hope and she even gave him a faint smile. "I know I can, I just remembered something!"

**AN: So, what do you think? My time at the theater has come to an end, it was sort but fun! More importantly, I have more time to write and think of new ideas now! I know the end is a bit random, but I hope you can forgive me for that.**

**Please review, it will drive me to write more!**


	12. Chapter 12

Into Atlantis

It was night again, Melody felt the cold shackles around her ice cold numb feet. _But not for long!_ She thought. _Tonight I can escape that pain and at the same time live up to my promise to Jim._  
She took a few steps back, then ran in full speed to the water. When she couldn't stand anymore, she let herself float into the sea. With her arms she stirred her way through the water, while she kept her legs together. While she moved her legs up and down in the way waves do, they transformed into a tail of a mermaid and she sped forward. Faster and faster.  
It was a long way to Atlantis and the sea was dark, but a mermaid has keen eyes. Her reasons were very important and she would only be here for a short time, she wasn't free yet, but Melody couldn't deny the true happiness she felt as she swum in the water after all that time. With delight she saw all the wonderful things around her and couldn't help but smile. _I'm finally home again!_ She thought.

It is true that you are really fast if you want to get somewhere. In less than an hour Melody saw the shining gate to Atlantis appear before her. Her heart began to beat faster with enthusiasm and joy and she quickly swum to it. As she expected the gate was closed, it was in the middle of the night after all, but something was off. Melody looked around. _where were the guards? They must be here somewhere. Grandfather would never allow the gate to be unguarded like this._ Melody gripped the golden bars with both hands and peered through them. _Nothing, that's strange._

"Who goes there?" Asked a voice, followed by the sound of a few small feet crawling hastily towards the gate.

"Sebastian? Sebastian, it's you right? It's me princess Melody. Quickly, let me in!"Melody cried to the empty space before her, not sure where the sound of Sebastian's feet came from.

"Melody child, what are you doing here?" Sebastian's voice came now from the other side of the gate, right in front of her. Melody looked down and saw a worried Sebastian staring at her.

"Sebastian, what's going on? Where are the guards?" Melody asked while Sebastian put a golden key in the lock to open the gate for her.

"Come quickly, strange things have happened here. The only guard has been called to your grandfather just a moment ago and I stood watch for him." Said Sebastian.

Melody swum quickly through the gate so Sebastian could close it again. She could easily tell that something terrible happened here. Sebastian was scared. "Why is there only one guard?"

Sebastian only shook his head and gestured her to follow him to the palace. Melody did so and while she swum slowly through the dark aisles of the sea city, her mood dropped like an anchor. Homes were destroyed and doors and windows of the remaining houses were barricaded. Neat lawns and gardens looked like wastelands and no living creature was around. Melody felt tears in her eyes and a big lump in her throat. How did this happen? Suddenly Sebastian stopped, just in front of the palace.

"Melody child you are not save her anymore. You know that." Said Sebastian grim, but caring.

Melody forced a smile. "Come on Sebastian." She said bravely. "I'm fine, Eris won't know I'm here and I need to be here. I have to talk to my grandfather and Kida."

Sebastian sighed and shook his head. "You are just as stubborn as your mother." Melody giggled at that. she took it as a compliment. "Alright, alright, why do you need to speak to the sea king?"

Melody's smile faded and she suddenly looked very sorry. "A young woman has been attacked by Eris and I want to help her. My healing ritual doesn't work and it will make Jim very sad if the woman stays like this."

"I should have known." Said Sebastian. "This human Jim is very important to you."

Melody allowed herself to blush and she giggled. "Oh Sebastian, Jim is the best!"She admitted excited. "He is very brave and he wants to protect me. No boy has ever said that to me."She watched Sebastian listen to her in his own disapproving way. "Hey Sebastian do you know what, we kissed twice! Ah, yesterday night was so magical." It warmed her whole body when she thought back to that moment at the beach.

"You know I want you to be happy, Melody." Began Sebastian fatherly. "I believe Jim can make you even more than happy, but this boy isn't enough to overcome Eris." Melody sadly closed her eyes, she knew Sebastian was right, but that was the reason she was here. She wanted to make a stand herself.

"Sebastian let me go to my grandfather, I want to hear from him personally what happened here."

King Triton sat on his throne as usual. Like Sebastian had told her, a guard just left the throne room when they entered. He didn't look at all happy to go back to his duty and he kept shaking his head in sadness. Melody followed him with her eyes till he went around a corner and out of sight. Then she had her own business to mind. She saw her grandfather and a lump filled her throat. She was so glad to see him again, but if Eris caused him trouble because of her? Will the reunion be troublesome for him? When she and Sebastian patiently entered the big elegant room the sea king noticed his grandchild and rose immediately from his seat.

"Melody, it is so good to see you again." He exclaimed and his voice shook with emotion.

"Eh h-hi, grandfather."Melody croaked. Her voice was lost and tears began to roll down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand, but they kept coming and before she knew it she found herself hugging her dear grandfather, while sobbing in his beard. "Oh how I missed you, grandfather." She said.

"I missed you too, my dear." Replied the sea king while he returned the hug. "I worried over you day and night."

Melody released him and looked at him with shining eyes. "Don't worry, I'm fine." She assured him.

"But didn't you take a huge risk by coming here? You should have waited for Kida to contact you." Said king Triton.

"Don't worry, Eris doesn't know I'm here and I'll return before the sun is up. It is not the same to talk to you through Kida. I need to speak with you now and with Kida too, if that's alright."

"Very well, Sebastian go find Kida and tell her I want to see her." Commanded the sea king and the little crab immediately hasted away.

**AN: So what happened in Atlantis? Is Eris responsible or not? How can Melody save Anya and what will Eris do when she finds out Melody took off to see her grandfather in the night? Please Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Well everyone I am truly glad I got at least two new followers, otherwise I would be very sad. I didn't get one review this chapter, nor did I last time. Normally I get one review at the time, so I'm definitely not asking for much, but please let me know what you think of my story! Please?**

The magic crystal

King Triton turned around to face his granddaughter. He looked grim, really grim.

"Melody, I'm afraid my powers are beginning to fade. I couldn't stop the attack." He said, clearly ashamed of himself.

"What attack? Eris did do something, didn't she?" Melody was shocked, but not at all defeated. That was the past, she needed to be strong and right now she felt a fighting fire burn within her body.

"It is more complicated." Replied the sea king. "Eris did send one of her pets, but before that, my own army had already killed each other. The merman you saw just now is the only survivor, he happened to have a day off that day." The sea king shook his head. "She played it well my dear, although we know she manipulated the soldiers , we can't prove it."

Melody looked away and a silence fell between them. Eris did attack the sea kingdom in the end. Melody felt so hopeless, but then she pulled herself together. She couldn't let it end like his. _Eris has to be stopped! _ She thought.  
"Grandfather, I will find a way to stop Eris. Together with Jim and maybe with Audrey and Milo too we can do it. I know it!" She gave her Grandfather an encouraging smile.

"You know I can't do much about her myself child, I will have to stay in my domain. It is an old rule all the gods are bound by. But you are all so young, do you know what you get yourself into?"

Melody nodded, but her grandfather still watched her with doubt and concern. "I will try, I'm not alone this time."

"Those kids, can you trust them?" Wanted the king to know.

"They are not all kids, grandfather, but yes I can trust them." Assured Melody him.

At this the sea king's face lightened up. "Very well, I will trust you and support you."** (1)**

Sebastian came in with Kida in his wake. Sebastian crawled straight to the sea king and gave him an obedient nod, then he gestured Kida to come forth. Kida had already noticed Melody's presence and entered the room quickly. Like Melody, Kida could also transform her form from mermaid to human. Very few possessed such power and at present Kida and Melody were the only two left in the royal family who had this special ability. For you see, Kida's late mother had been one of Poseidon's daughters and therefore king Triton's sister. **(2)** Kida had healing abilities just like Melody, the only difference was that Melody got her powers from Eris, while Kida received it from a small crystal with a bluish glow.  
It also had a dark side. The stone came from a great power source underneath the centre of the city. It was a mysterious being which attempts to take possession of its user's body and soul. As strong as Kida's mother had been, she eventually lost herself to the power source. Even though the main power was sealed away, it still acted through that small piece which Kida wore around her neck. Kida's fate was still unclear and it pained Melody dearly to know she would very soon bring her in great danger.

"What's wrong Melody?"Kida asked when she stood in front of her at the sea king's left side.

"A few days back, a young woman was put in an eternal sleep by Eris and I can't reach her mind to help her." Melody gave her cousin a pleading look, which Kida understood instantly.

"I see, I am sure my crystal can help the woman, but I need her to be outside for that. Can you bring her to the beach at midnight tomorrow?"

"Of course but why?"

"The source from which the crystal draws its power is nature itself. It is most powerful in the open air and if she is as injured as you say, I need as much power as I can get from it."

"But isn't that dangerous, Kida?" Melody began to feel very anguish.

"Do not worry, I do not need _that_ much power and I haven't used the crystal in a long time, there will be plenty of magic left, so the crystal won't hurt me."

"That makes sense. Thank you Kida. You don't know how grateful I am to you." Melody smiled and bowed respectfully. "And thank you too, grandfather for supporting me. I must leave you now, thank you very much." Melody gave them all another bow, then she turned to leave.

"Sebastian, see to it that my granddaughter safely leaves Atlantis." The sea king commanded the little crab.

"Of course your majesty. Follow me, princess Melody." Sebastian crawled to the doors, which were opened by two servants and left the room. Melody quickly swum after him, while she hastily waved her relations goodbye.

Sebastian escorted her a few miles from the gate before he had to return to the palace. They wished each other the best of luck and parted ways. Melody could easily understand, Sebastian couldn't possibly go back alone from a long distance. Such a thing would be suicide. Melody looked back one more time before she sped away into the open sea. She swum even faster than on her way to Atlantis. She had no idea what time it was and she began to fear she might not make it to her castle in time.  
When she finally dragged herself ashore at the beach the sky was still dark and Melody sighed with great relieve. Quickly she let her fishtail transform into legs and stood up to walk home.

"Melody." Sang a malevolent voice with the wind. The ice cold fear took hold of Melody's heart the moment she heard it and she looked around. She saw nothing out of place, but then she dared to look up. Eris' terrible malevolent eyes were looking down to her from the big darkness of the night sky. Her whole body was nearly transparent, dotted with stars and her hair flew in the wind as usual. She was truly a fearsome thing to behold. It was already too late when Melody saw Eris materialize her hand and reach out for her. Eris slapped the little girl right off the ground and sent her flying to land hard on the ground a few meters away. Melody felt the pain when the clayey sand ripped her left cheek open. She felt a severe headache from hitting solid ground and everything was spinning around her, but before she could pull herself together she felt another sharp pain. It felt like a million needles in her skull as Eris pulled her up by her hair. Melody screamed as she hung in from of the goddess' eyes. "You need to learn how to behave." Eris said sweetly with a smile upon her lips. "But let's take this to my place shall we?"  
The last thing Melody remembered was the feeling of being pulled into a small opening, but then it suddenly stopped and she found herself on a stone floor. She looked around as she came to her feet. _This has to be Tartarus. _Melody thought. It was nothing more than a huge stone platform, surrounded by total darkness. Ahead Melody saw a big stone throne, upon which Eris had taken her seat.

**AN: Explanation time!  
(1) You might wonder why Triton isn't angry with his grandchild for getting herself in great danger. Well, Triton has learned from his mistakes with Ariel. He is still very worried, but won't let that out through anger.**

**(2) It seems to me most logical for Kida to be a mermaid too, I changed Atlantica to Atlantis to mixed the two stories at best and made Kida a relative of the royal family so that she still could be a princess.**

**So, it's a cliff hanger, how do you think Melody gets out of this? Please review! PLEASE!**


	14. Chapter 14

I will make you suffer!

Melody watched Eris sit on her stone throne and tried hard to control her growing fears. _What would she do to her? _She saw Eris stare at her with her malevolent eyes and with a pleased smile upon her lips.

"Come closer, my dear." She said sweetly. Melody, however, didn't move a muscle. "You know I hate to be played." Eris said and she started to vanish and reappear across the room while she talked in a low, threatening voice. "First there was this boy. What was his name again, oh yes.. Jim."Eris reappeared on her throne and lay down dramatically. "Such high hopes I had for him. What a shame. I was certain he had a dark spot in his heart I could use. But no, he threw away his selfish wish to challenge me and choose to _love_ you." Melody's knees almost gave in when the goddess gave her a look which could turn everything to stone.  
"You are too lucky Melody." Eris said. "It is your blood, the blood of a mermaid. How I hate that luck! You don't know how fun it was to watch the sea witch Ursula take that away from the most fortunate mermaid of that time, Ariel." Eris gracefully stood up from her throne and walked slowly towards her visitor. "Ursula took that away which could secure the young mermaid's happiness, her voice. Her love would never know it was she who rescued him from drowning nor could she speak her love for him. It was even more beautiful when, even though she was close to him, her love kept searching for another woman. And then Ursula herself became that woman an hypnotized the poor prince." Eris sighed satisfied, as if she could summon the misery from the event and feel it. But then, when she stood before her prisoner, she looked cruel and disgusted.  
"But all that effort didn't matter. "Eris continued angrily. "Ariel still had her beautiful features and her cheerful personality. In the end her love choose for her and she even got her voice back. Ariel's beauty was the death of Ursula and now there is you, Ariel's daughter with the same cursed blood." Eris had reached Melody and she could feel the goddess' breath upon her face. First Eris walked slowly around her, then she closed her ice cold fingers around Melody's neck.  
"You caused me a lot of trouble." She hissed softly. "It is not easy to manipulate a whole army without drawing attention and on top of that I had to watch the beach most of the night to wait for your return. I certainly worked overtime for you, little princess." Eris' ice cold fingers froze Melody's neck entirely and she tried hard not to choke. The coldness spread quickly through her entire body. And she felt her limbs become numb. Just as she was about to collapse on the stone floor, Eris released her grip and vanished again. Only her eyes kept glowing. They moved only a few steps backwards and looked really wicked.  
"I am going to break your luck, little girl." Eris' voice said. "I am going to make dear Jim forget or give up on you. Of course that won't be easy. If I take your voice, everyone will hardly notice and you will still have your clear blue eyes. If I were to stab out both your eyes, Jim sill still be enchanted by your sweet appearance. If I maim your body or break your limbs, he will still remember what you once were." Eris sighed annoyed, as if she was considering the repairs for a broken toy.

Melody closed her eyes. She couldn't believe what she just heard and could no longer look at those horrible eyes in mid air. Tears rolled down her cheeks. _I wasn't thinking when I set off to Atlantis. I took too much for granted and underestimated the goddess. This will be the death of me and no one will ever know what happened to me. _Melody thought_. I can see no way out of this, I'm trapped. Oh Jim, If I could see you one last time!_

"To put it simply." Continued the goddess. "I just have to break your spirit, destroy who you were." Eris appeared again and with her right hand she formed a long thick black whip from smoke. "So I suggest you start running, it is much more fun that way."

Melody wanted to run, she really did, but her legs wouldn't let her. Although her mind screamed she should run, her legs only trembled and were close to give in.

"I said **RUN**!"Snapped Eris and with one shot she closed the whip around Melody's fragile body. Melody screamed as the whip buried itself in her flesh with a burning pain. Eris was no longer her normal size, she towered high to the never-ending black darkness around them. Out of her arms she grew gigantic clawed wings and her eyes and teeth became more vampire-like. With little effort she jerked Melody towards her with the whip and threw her back on the ground. Melody landed on her left side in her haste to land save and felt a sharp pain in her hip. She began to weep. _All hope is lost, I am going to die here._  
"Now you remember how to run?" Asked Eris sarcastic.

Shaking Melody stood up and slowly began to move, faster and faster. Eventually she was running. She could hear the goddess' laugh as she set in the pursuit. Melody could see nothing around her but stone and darkness. _What if this realm is just a platform? What if I reach the end of it?_ Melody panicked, but as she run and tried to ignore the laughter of the vile goddess en the pain that spread through her body by every move she made, a sparkle of bravery came back to her. _If she kills me for fun, fine but I won't give her an easy victory!_ Melody looked around. Unfortunately there was nothing for her to use against the goddess. Certainly Eris took care of that when she created this world. The only things Melody could use were rocks and stairs, but the stairs didn't reach up to Eris' level and the rocks would just go right through her not solid body.  
Melody stopped running and turned to face the dreaded Goddess of Chaos. Eris halted too, just above Melody's head.

"What's this, tired already?" Eris asked amused and bowed her head to face Melody.

"NO, I won't run any longer." Cried Melody bravely and she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "I know I can't fight you here, but I won't play your game either." Melody had realized something, something that gave her the final hope she needed to make a stand. "You are bound, aren't you?" She said and she pointed a challenging finger to the threatening goddess. "You can't kill me according to the old rules of the gods!"

"NO, you are right. I can't kill you directly, but I can still harm you."

"You won't scare me anymore!" Melody shot herself forward with all the strength she had left and with one movement she grabbed the end of the long black whip in a firm grip and pulled. As she expected, Eris let go and vanished again. With a growl of anger, she blocked Melody's way as she appeared again, but this time she had her normal form and Melody was truly relieved to see that. No matter what happened next Melody had made her statement and she was proud of herself. But to her dismay Eris kept smiling. It was a cruel smile filled with pleasure and sadism. The time for talk was over, Eris reached out and grabbed poor Melody by the throat. She grew again and became that fearsome vampire-like creature again.

"Now I will make you suffer!" She hissed. She opened her mouth wide and Melody saw with horror the sharp fangs within. Like two sharp daggers, the fangs stabbed simultaneously into her little neck. Melody screamed and almost passed out of shock and pain, but Eris slapped her hard in her face to keep her awake. Shortly after that Melody knew why. It is horrible to get your blood drained, but is even worse when you are conscious. As her blood began to leave her body, a stabbing pain went through her heart and lungs. The world spun around her and her head became cold and screamed of pain. Her body wanted to pass out, to protect the mind from the pain, but the sharp pain through the heart prevented that. Melody began to feel very nauseous as a reaction of the body, but she couldn't move to throw it up and she began to choke terrible.  
Suddenly it all stopped and Melody closed her eyes to finally pass out. Her mind began to blank, but just before that, she felt the pain of breaking her right arm as she hit the floor for the last time.


	15. Chapter 15

To the rescue!

Jim shot up from his sleep. He looked out the window facing the east, the sun had just risen. What had woken him? Jim wondered, but then he heard it. A scream, a scream so dreadful and full of pain, it made you scared just by hearing it. But that was not the only reason for Jim to jump out of bed, it was Melody who had screamed out. He looked again to the east, it had come from there.  
Jim slept, together with Dimitri, in Anya's room to guard her. Dimitri shot up too and looked startled around the room, but he was still sleepy and couldn't put one and one together.

"What was that?" He asked vaguely.

"It was Mel." Answered Jim softly and he felt a lump in his throat.

"Mel?"Asked Dimitri confused.

"The PRINCESS!." Yelled Jim, angry his brother was so useless.  
He had to find her so he ran out of the room. He heard Dimitri yell his name, it seemed he had finally pulled his brains out of the clouds. Jim knew his brother would follow him, but he didn't know the detours Jim knew. Jim took the next turn which led to an old watch-hole facing the east, once used in times of battle. He climbed on its windowsill and peered outside. A ray of sunlight nearly blinded him and he heard once again a bone-chilling scream. Now Jim was sure he headed for the right direction. He tried his best to shield his eyes and carefully moved on to the battlements outside. Still half blinded by the sun, Jim tried to locate Melody, she had to be here. Then he saw something ahead, at the side of the wall across the battlements. It looked like a black sack, pinned on the side of the wall. Jim jumped down on the stone floor and walked in a quick pace to it. The sack bathed in the full light of the morning sun and because it was pitch black, Jim imagined it to be flaming hot. With every step the thing got more detail, until it was no longer a sack. It was a heavy piece of clothing. But just when Jim had fully reached it, he saw the horror of its purpose.  
Melody hung by her pulses on the wall of the eastern tower, where she would burn alive in the full sunlight, which was strongly attracted by the black leather which covered her body from her head till her toes. She didn't move and out of panic, Jim reached out and touched her face. Although her head was the only part of her body that was free from the black leather, her cheek felt very hot. Melody groaned. Luckily she had just passed out from the pain. Jim had to think fast, how could he get her down from there? Could he just leave her and get help? He didn't want to leave her, what if she died while was gone? No, he had no time for such thoughts. Jim jerked his eyes from Melody's terrible state and left the battlements through the door which lead to the stairs down to the corridors of the castle. Quickly Jim went down the spiral steps and emerged in the hallway where several servants were busy with their usual morning routine.

"The princess has been attacked at the eastern tower, bring whatever she might need. I will get something to get her down from the eastern wall, HURRY!" He yelled to them while he ran down the corridors. He ran around a corner.

"The princess is trapped on the eastern wall where she will face the morning sunlight which will burn her alive, bring whatever you can!" He yelled to the last few servants he saw there, including Tiana.

"Where yer goin' then?" asked Tiana when Jim shot by.

"To the timber shop, I need things to get her down from that wall, JUST GO!"

"Right!" Tiana's resolute reaction and the rush of feet behind him were music to Jim's ears. _We can make it. _He thought.

When Jim arrived at the timber shop, he had no time to wait for any questions and came straight to the point.  
"Listen, the princess is in trouble, I need a very broad wooden plank and two strong men to hold it down across the eastern battlements so that I can climb on it to recue Melody from that wall! And I need an crowbar."

"That plan is crazy, lad." Said the carpenter surprised, but when he saw the desperation in Jim's eyes, he turned to the work shop behind him and yelled: "Evan, Edgar, I need you to take the strongest plank we have and a crowbar and follow this lad to the castle!" Not a minute later after the carpenter had yelled, two bears of men came into the shop, one of them handed Jim a strong crowbar. Once Jim had the crowbar in his right hand, he gave the two men a short motion with his head to follow him and ran towards the castle as quick as he could.

"What yer waitin' for, follow that boy!" Jim heard the carpenter say and soon after that he could hear the two men ran behind him with the broad plank between them.

When Jim emerged on the battlements again, he saw all eight servants gathered together. Most of the maids where crying for their poor mistress and Tiana stood at Melody's side and wrapped her as well as she could in a thin white blanked to block out the sun.

"Tiana, step aside. Edgar, Evan, bring the plank and lay it over the edge of the battlements, right under Melody's feet."Jim commended. Tiana quickly made sure the blanket wouldn't fall off and jumped aside. Evan and Edgar swung the plank over the rim of the battlements and pushed it under Melody's feet. After that ,they hold the plank steady with their whole weight. When they nodded, Jim stepped on the plank and walked quickly, but careful to Melody's aid. He placed the crowbar under the first chain that bound her to the wall and pulled with all his strength. At the same time he made sure he leaned forward so that he wouldn't fall backwards. To his great relieve the chain quickly gave way. Jim jerked a few times with the crowbar and freed Melody's left hand. Jim succeeded in freeing also her right hand. He gentle released her from the black leather and quickly wrapped the white blanket around her naked body. She was covered in sweat and her usual milky skin now looked painfully red. Melody was half awake and struggled for air. Jim couldn't carry her over the plank, he wouldn't be able to keep his balance, so he lead her slowly to the end of the plank and handed her over to Tiana, who quickly carried her to her room. Jim walked off the plank and thanked the two men for their assistance. Then he saw his friends among the servants who now took their leave one by one to serve their mistress. Audrey gave Jim a sympatric smile when he approached them.

"You did good Jim." She said softly. Jim looked at Milo, then at Dimitri. The first nodded and gave him a friendly smile as well, the latter avoided eye contact. Dimitri was most likely ashamed of his useless reaction that morning. It was no big deal really, thought Jim and he gave his brother a light punch on his shoulder. This always did the trick and Dimitri grinned.

"You better go to her, Jim." He said.

"Yes, go to her and comfort her. It's ok, we understand." Agreed Audrey. Jim nodded and ran off.

Tiana took her leave as soon as she saw Jim entered the room and said nothing. This bothered Jim intensely. And he rushed over to Melody's bedside. There she was, covered under a thin but well isolated blanket. She sat up straight with a pile of pillows supporting her back.

"How are you feeling Mel?" Jim asked. It was a stupid question, but he had to ask.

"Better now, thanks to you Jim." Melody said, drops of sweat were still on her forehead and she spoke weakly. "I went to Atlantis to help Anya, but Eris found out and took me to Tartarus. Listen, You have to bring Anya to the beach this evening, Kida will try to heal her. I know she can do it."

It caused Jim's heart to ache to see her in this state. He wanted her to stop talking, to take it easy, but when he was about to say something Melody said:

"Don't worry Jim, Mermaids heal quickly, It's already in process." But Jim was not convinced and put both his hands on either side of her pillow and stared her hard in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked firmly. He wanted her to be completely honest with him. Melody looked at him vaguely at first, but then she gave him a warm smile.

"I am sure Jim." Melody said and she suddenly sounded a lot stronger."I am so glad that I can see you again." She used the opportunity that Jim hung over her to kiss him softly. Jim kissed her back and wiped the drops of sweat from her forehead.

"You are the reason for me to stay in this world." Melody said and she lay down again. Jim stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I could choose to vanish when I couldn't bear the pain Eris caused me." Explained Melody. "I can simply give up my live as a human or mermaid and fuse myself with the tiny rain drops in the clouds or air. If I do that I can neither visit Atlantis nor the human world. My sprit would be all that's left of me and I would be free from Eris. That's the final part of my contract Jim. It lasts as long as I have a body."

**AN: I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry! **** First I had all lot on my mind and I couldn't write, then I could, but I just couldn't update because we had no internet!**

**I want to thank everyone who added my story to either favorite, alert, following list or all of them. I got no new reviews, but that's ok. Don't look a gifted horse in the mouth, we would say!**

**But of course, I would appreciate a review!**


	16. Chapter 16

Through another's eyes

Audrey walked through the corridors of the castle. She was heading for Melody's room and she was going alone. She also found herself in a very nasty, stubborn mood at the moment. Audrey had left Milo and Dimitri behind after their will against her going.  
_"Are you going to her already?"Had Milo asked in an unnecessary high voice. Milo sure knew how to exaggerate. "Can't you wait?" He pressed on. "Melody has been hurt badly, not to mention traumatized. I can imagine she doesn't want too many visitors at the time. Jim is enough for now."_

"_Milo, no need to freak out. I just want to know if my friend is ok." Audrey had said to him and she looked at her companions with her arms crossed. Dimitri wasn't much help either. He was obviously impressed by Melody's bravery and wanted to thank her for all her tries to help Anya, but he too seemed to be too scared to be rude._ They were useless, so_t in the end Audrey went any way._

Milo wasn't the boss of her, she could do whatever she wanted. Besides, maybe Melody felt better after her talk with Jim and would be happy to see her. You never know unless you try, right?  
It was a long way to Melody's room and all those doors and stairs were very confusing. Audrey feared more than once she had lost her way, but finally she found her destination.  
Just before she reached out for the doorknob, she listened very carefully. She didn't hear any voices. That was really strange, Jim couldn't possibly be gone already. If he had, Audrey would have met him on her way. Suddenly, the mischievous girl in Audrey came forth and she bent down to peek through the tiny keyhole in the door. Of course she couldn't see much, but she did see Jim. Very clearly, in front of her, he had his hands on both sides of Melody's pillow and stared at her. _Did they have a fight?_ Wondered Audrey. She let out a small gasp when she saw Melody move towards Jim and kiss him on his lips. Jim's reaction wasn't surprised at all and he kissed her back with passion._ Had they kissed before? _Melody lay herself down on her pillow again and spoke to him. Audrey couldn't hear it, but Jim who had been smiling at first, now looked shocked by whatever Melody was saying. Not soon after Melody had stopped talking, Jim straightened up to take his leave. Audrey quickly backed away from the door. There would be not enough time for her to completely disappear, so she tried her best to give the impression that she just had arrived and was waiting for permission to come in.  
Jim opened the door and stepped into the corridor. He was very surprised to see Audrey, but quickly tried to recover from it.

"Is everything ok?" Audrey asked. She figured his expression was so obviously grim, that anyone could have wondered that.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Jim replied a bit hollow but as nonchalant as possible and walked on without saying another word. When Audrey passed him on her way in, she caught his face from the corner of her eye. His frown from before had returned and his eyes looked very sad. _What could Melody have said to make him this unhappy?_ But this question inside her head didn't linger long, for Audrey was completely blown away by Melody's reaction when she stepped into her room.

"Audrey!" Melody exclaimed delighted and she immediately sat up straight in her bed.

"Hi Melody." Greeted Audrey a bit surprised. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now, thanks to Jim." Melody smiled warmly but Audrey felt the corners of her mouth fall into a frown. She suddenly remembered Jim's sad face.

"Say, Melody?" She began softly and Melody's smile faded as well. "Jim looked so sad when I passed him at the door. Is something wrong?" A silence fell between them and Audrey kept her eyes fixed on Melody, who clearly was choosing the right words.

"I guess he is just worried, but I told him. Mermaids heal fast, it's true."

Audrey gave her a skeptical look. That sure was an easy answer to give to ease one's worries. But to Audrey's amazement, it appeared to be true. Melody's burned skin had its milky color back and her eyes were full of live and joy.  
Audrey blinked, she realized she had been staring at Melody for some time. For a twelve-year-old girl, Melody was very beautiful indeed. Her face wasn't childish, but well-formed with high cheek-bones, which formed her face into a heart-shape. Her skin was flawless and matched her blue eyes and black hair perfectly. Her shoulders were small and a bit round, but she had no child-fat anywhere and her waist and hips were already well shaped as well. Audrey felt a natural envy growing inside of her._ I guess that's what it means to be a mermaid._ She thought. Then she thought of something else, something she had been wondering for quite some time.

"Is something the matter?" Asked Melody with a raised eyebrow.

"Can you clear an old sailor superstition for me?" Asked Audrey.

"Sure, which one?" Replied Melody so cheerfully that it made Audrey feel very awkward.

"Um, the one about mermaids luring sailors to them. Can you hypnotize men like that?"

"Well the first flaw in that story is of course that not all merpeople are female."Began Melody, then she paused to think of a clear way to explain the whole thing. "but it's true that mermaids are very curious and exploring." She went on. "It is in their nature and they dream about worlds beyond the sea. My mother was an extreme example of that. furthermore mermaids posses the gift of great musical talent. It is their way of connecting with all the sea life around them and even with the life on land. They also use it to express themselves to their true love. My mother had a beautiful singing voice and she sang for my father, who happened to be a prince _and_ sailor. And now we come to the point where the story is most wrong. My father was indeed driven by my mother's voice to find her, but not because a mermaid hypnotizes men, but because he had also seen her face and something in her song made him believe she was the one for him. My father longed for freedom and so did my mother and he could hear that in her song. It is true however, that when a mermaid appears, all men will be lost to reason. All mermaids are incredibly beautiful and most sailors haven't seen a woman in a long time. It is a clear weakness of men, but they will never admit to that, instead they make up fairy tales to cover up their fallen pride."

"I see." Said Audrey grinning at Melody's words. "That does make sense. So, you are only half mermaid, I didn't realize that."

"Yes, you could say that my mother was the one who was hypnotized." Joked Melody. "She had always longed for the surface world, but she went pretty far to get there, to be with my father who she barely knew."

"So you didn't do anything to Jim when you kissed him?" Asked Audrey out of the blue.

Melody blinked a few times and a blush appeared upon her cheeks. "No, but how can you know about our kiss?" She asked surprised.

"I sort of peeked through the keyhole in your door." Confessed Audrey, feeling suddenly very guilty. "I'm sorry, I was just curious when I didn't hear any voices."

Melody gave her a sweet smile. "Don't worry, I would have done the same I think." They both laughed for a little while. "But no, I didn't do anything to Jim, I swear." Melody told Audrey sincerely. "A few weeks ago, Jim told me he wanted to protect me and I believe him. I love him Audrey, and I'm certain he loves me too."  
Audrey could only smile, she was happy for Melody, but just couldn't put it into words. "Oh, I hope you don't mind!" Cried Melody suddenly and she looked concerned.

This startled Audrey a little. "Oh no, I never thought of Jim that way!" She replied quickly, while she waved her hands defensively in front of her. "As the two youngest crewmembers on a ship, everyone treats us like children and I sort of excepted it slowly with time. With Jim being three years older than me, I had to scare him off to make myself clear as someone equal and it worked. It's just how it works. We fought a lot, but then again, so did we with the rest of the crew.  
Melody giggled and Audrey felt a big relieve filling her stomach. "Jim may not always be honest and fair with me." Continued Audrey. "But I know him well enough to know that his feelings for you are real." Audrey stepped a few steps closer and her smile failed her again. "And that's why it pains me to see him so upset, please Melody, what did you tell him?"

Melody looked uneasy. She sat up straight with her legs crossed and she began to rock back and forth while she gave Audrey a pitiful look. "I-I sort of told him that the only way I can be free off Eris is to leave my physical body and become one with the mist." Audrey stared at her, a cold filling her whole body. " I will never see any of you or my family again, but my soul will be free to go wherever I want."

Audrey stood there, frozen and unable to speak. Her hands began to tremble. And her eyes were wide open. She bit her lower lip with her slightly overgrown front-teeth to keep it from trembling._ It can't be true. _She watched the little princess slowly fall apart. Melody stopped rocking and fell face down on her bed sheets. She began to cry. "I d-didn't want t-to tell him or a-any of y-you."She sobbed and her whole body shook heavily. "But it has been w-worrying me for s-so long. I won't be able to speak with any living being ever again, for the rest of my existence I can only wait and watch."

"But that's not freedom."Audrey said softly and she hurried across to wrap her arms around her friend. "Don't worry, we have Milo. He doesn't look like much, but I'm sure he can find some hidden secrets that can help you."

**AN: I know, it is a boring chapter, but if you have an idea you got to write it down, right?  
I finally got a review, thanks a lot for that! But there is always room for another. **


	17. Chapter 17

Light and Darkness

The moon had not yet shown itself when a small caravan of a crew with Anya on a stretcher, a captain and a princess walked their way through the quiet village towards the beach. Jim stumbled at the end of the line, the quietness of the town was depressing and he could've told the others about the way around it, but he didn't feel like talking at all. Melody leaded the group and therefore was walking all the way in the front. Jim didn't complain about it, he had a screaming headache that didn't calm down and the whole day Melody's words were spinning in his head.  
_ If she was to disappear, she would be free? What kind of rubbish is that? Is that even fair? She wouldn't just disappear, would she?_ Jim was a mess, he didn't understand. _Was Melody even alright with this? If she becomes a sprit, she won't be able to contact anyone ever again. That's no existence at all! She says she stays here, but how can I know she can endure much more suffering. Every night she feels the unbearable pain of her ice cold feet, heavily chained. What if she longs to be free of a physical body?_ Jim felt an extreme coldness closing in on his heart._ I will not lose her!. _Jim kept telling himself this, but it began to seem hopeless.  
Audrey kept turning her head to him, but kept her lips sealed._' Did she hear about it too?'_ Jim wondered. _'but so what? What difference does it make?' _Jim threw his head in his neck and looked up with a sigh. Nothing, just an empty dark sky. Slowly the group walked down the little hill on which the village was built and they arrived on the beach. Jim moved around the big sailors in front of him to have a better look.  
The woman named Kida stood there with her back to the sea. It was just like she had walked right out of it. She stood at the same spot where Jim and Melody once had their first conversation. The place where he first learned of her contract with Eris. Melody walked up to Kida and greeted her with a hug. The two men carrying the stretcher with Anya came forth and lay her at Kida's feet.  
Jim pushed his way through the crowd to join his brother and Melody at Anya's side. Jim tried not to look at Melody however and kept his eyes fixed on Anya. Audrey and Milo stood a little further in the back and stretched out their necks eagerly to see what would happen. Kida crouched down at Anya's head and removed her necklace with a bluish crystal dangling from it. She circled the crystal above and Anya's head and she closed her eyes in concentration. At once the crystal began to shine, it was a natural light, like the moonlight had fallen upon it, only the moon was nowhere to be found.  
Jim's eyes widened, for the first time ever since Anya fell ill, she moved. She tossed and turned, like she was having a nightmare. Her eyelids twitched, but she could not yet open them. In alarm Jim looked at Kida and he saw Dimitri do the same. But Kida's lips curled into a faint smile and she began to repeat her ritual.  
Curious as he always was, Milo approached Kida to watch her closely. This clearly irritated Kida and Audrey hissed: "Milo, not that close!"

"Oh I'm sorry."Apologized Milo defensively. "Hey, I don't want to be in anyone's way." He did a few steps back, but kept looking over Kida's shoulder. Then something very strange happened. Kida seemed to have trouble to keep her eyes shut. Every now and then, she opened them and made a slight move towards Milo.

"Please, I cannot concentrate with you behind me." Kida said suddenly, very clear with a little accent. "Go stand over there please." She pointed awkwardly towards a random direction. Milo was, like the rest of the gathering, a bit thrown off by the fact that Kida just had spoken to him in English, but he did as he was told. He walked away, in the direction at which Kida had pointed, which was a deserted spot far from the rest of the crew.  
Satisfied Kida closed her eyes again and when her crystal began to glow once more, she put her hand on Anya's forehead. A deep frown appeared upon Kida's pretty face. It was almost like she tried to push something away with her mind.  
Jim had finally found the courage to look at Melody and saw that she was nervously biting her lower lip. This was all very strange. Jim thought and he looked at Kida again. She had removed her hands from Anya's forehead and she let out a deep sigh of relieve. Very soon, Jim and Dimitri saw why. Anya opened her eyes. Immediately Dimitri rushed over to her side. For a quiet moment he only stroke her hair tenderly. It was clear that he wanted to say something, but the words were lost to him. Jim hasted to be with Anya too, he too couldn't find any words to say and sat silently down on the sand.  
Anya looked confused, her mind had come from a far distance, but it didn't take her long to recall her lover's face and she began to smile. Unfortunately, Anya had never been a very good patient and she sat up very quickly. The whole crew gasped in shock, but Dimitri didn't mind and threw his arms around his beloved Anya and kissed her for a long time.  
Jim felt himself uncomfortable and turned his head away, only to come face to face with Melody. With a start he stood up and turned on his heels to head back for the castle. Behind him a sudden hustle and bustle appeared as the whole crew started (without Jim's permission) To follow his example. There was a bit of a fuss around Anya and Dimitri, for Anya refused to lay down again and told the two crewmen with the stretcher off. Jim saw them rush past him with a mixture of hurt and offending on their faces.  
This gave Jim a reason to grin and he looked over his shoulder. Dimitri was helping Anya walk like she was a fallen soldier and together they made up the rare. To Jim's surprise, not only Audrey, Melody and Milo were walking behind him. Kida had joined the group as well and was closing in on Milo to start a conversation with him. She seemed quite interested by him. Jim looked ahead again, he could feel the eyes from Audrey and Melody burn in his back. Still he could hear every word from the conversation that started behind him.

"You are a scientist, are you not?" He heard Kida ask.

"W-well, actually-" Stammered Milo, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Well of course you are, otherwise you wouldn't be so bluntly curious." Went Kida on excitedly.

"Hold on there-" Tried Milo, but it was no use.

"I guess that's why you could speak my language too.-"

"Yes, About that.-" They didn't seem to listen to each other at all, thought Jim while smirking.

"What is your purpose here?"

"Eh, can you let me explain, please. Because I have some question for you too." Said Milo and he sounded very glad to have her fully attention.

"Of course, go on." Replied Kida breathlessly.

"Thank you." Milo cleared his throat a bit nervously. "I'm the navigator of this crew. I'm not a scientist, but I like new discoveries and I learn myself different languages in my free ti -" Milo suddenly cut off his sentence. When he spoke again, he sounded louder and a bit offended.

"Wait, h-how is it that you can speak English anyway?"

"I can speak most of the languages from the surface world, but I didn't know your language at first. I could have observed you and learned it eventually, but you started to speak Dutch to me."

"Oh, that's good to hear." Said Milo sarcastic. "Well, that sure makes me look like a fool, doesn't it. I didn't have to try to speak Dutch at all. Thank you! Good to know!"

To Jim's surprise, he heard Kida giggle. "Not often, people from the surface world speak to me like that." She said.

"Right. So you are a mermaid too?" Milo asked, pulling himself together from his blunder.

"Yes, I am princess Melody's cousin." Kida Replied. That didn't surprise Jim at all. Kida had the same mysterious water nymph– like air as Melody and she too was incredibly beautiful.

In his room, despair took Jim again. He didn't know at all what to do. If Melody disappeared in the end, what could he do about it? Hadn't she listened to anything he told her? He would try his best for her. Even if he tried to protect someone it ended up like this. Jim couldn't think straight anymore, he couldn't remember Melody telling him that she would stay for him.  
He paced around his room. His hands in his hair. His eyes looking for something to throw with. When he couldn't find anything, he hooked his right foot behind one of the legs of his desk chair and threw it aside. After he had given it a last kick he sat down on his bed, staring at the door. After he sat there for a while, he began to feel calmer end he looked out of his window. Outside a dark blue sky hold all of Terschelling in utter darkness. By now Melody's spirit was patrolling the village, feeling the intense cold on her feet. At one point, Jim had the urge to run into the village, but with what point? There was nothing he could do.

Jim slowly opened his eyes and realized he had fallen asleep on top of his blankets. He shivered from the coldness of the night and felt that something was pressuring his chest. He lifted up his head as best as he could and gave a loud yell.

**AN: Hi, I hope you like this chapter, my apologies for the long wait, I got a little carried away by an old story of mine that needed to be cleared of horrible grammar mistakes.**

**Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

A fright in the night

Jim gave a loud yell when he saw Melody lying there. Carefully, he released himself from her weight and crawled closer to examine her. Her face was very pale and when Jim touched her cheek, it felt as cold as ice. She didn't seem to be alive. Wide eyed and with a stomach filled with an anxious feeling he whispered her name. "Melody?" He took a hold on both her shoulders and brought her into a sitting position. Melody's head fell helplessly backwards. 'Was this Eris' doing?'

"Mel?"

With a jerk Melody lifted her head and with glowing yellow eyes she stared at him. Jim screamed and let go of her flaming hot shoulders. Jim backed away until he found himself pressed against the wall, his eyes still fixed on Melody. Melody rose to her feet on top of Jim's bed. Her gaze seemed hollow, her mind was not with her. But to _what_ acted her body? Melody walked up to Jim and she crouched down just in front of him. Her glowing empty eyes just a few inches away from his.

"Melody." Said Jim shakily, he wanted to sound soothing, but his nerves did not allow it.  
Melody suddenly seemed frozen on the spot, then hot tears began to fall from her eyes. They hissed as they hit the mattress and Jim was amazed that the bed did not burst into flames. He had to pull himself together, Melody was obviously in pain and he had to help her. Jim moved away from the wall and got as close to her as possible and touched her hand, it was flaming hot but Jim enclosed his hand around hers and squeezed it affectionately. "Melody." He said again, this time much clearer. Jim felt the heat in Melody's hand lessen and he saw the light in her eyes fade away, she closed them and when she opened them to look at him they were blue and sad.

"Jim." She said hoarsely and her lower lip trembled tremendously. "Jim, I wanted to tell you, so I went to your room, but my spirit left my body when I fell asleep. I must have frightened you. I am so sorry, I didn't mean to." She dropped her gaze and began to sob.

"Don't mind it." Said Jim, but his shocked voice betrayed him. He thought it best to change the subject, so he asked her: "What did you want to tell me?"

Melody stopped her sobbing and looked at him again, she took a trembling breath. "I know you think that I will disappear. But that's not true!" She blurred out. Her face was completely wet from her tears but her eyes looked determined. "I'm scared, Jim." She continued. "I don't want to disappear and be fated never to speak with another soul ever again. I want to be free and that's not freedom. Audrey made me realize that. you once told me you wanted to protect me, to show me what it means to be free and I want to believe you."

Jim looked into her eyes, she really meant it. He found himself torn between different emotions. he still didn't understand what had happened and wanted it to be explained, but another part of him didn't care. He wanted to tell Melody he would do anything for her, but he also doubted himself.

"Promise me you won't disappear." He decided to say and he looked her sharp into her eyes.

"Jim, I won't disappear." Melody replied very clearly. "I want to be free with you."

"I'm not sure I can stand up to Eris." Confessed Jim. To his great relieve Melody smiled and shook her head.

"Neither can I Jim, but Audrey mentioned Milo. I think we need to go to him for help."

Jim nodded. "I'm afraid that will have to wait till tomorrow." He said.  
A silent fell, the idea to offer Melody to stay here for the rest of the night popped into Jim's head, but he didn't want to give her the wrong idea. He just thought it would be safer. He looked at her and saw that she was biting her lip again, she clearly didn't want to walk through the dark castle at this time of night. "there goes.' He thought.  
"Are you scared?" He asked softly. "You know you can stay here if you like."

Melody nodded, she did not misunderstand.

"I'll sleep on the chair by the fireplace, you go ahead and take my bed."

To Jim's surprise Melody started to laugh. "Jim, we're kids, don't be silly. Take your own bed, I don't feel like I can sleep anyway. I'll just sit here and watch over you." She gave him an assuring smile. Jim gave in, shrugged and yawned. The fright Melody had given him had really tired him out.

"Alright then." While he gazed into her clear blue eyes he considered giving her a goodnight kiss, but Melody got the better of him again. She stood on her toes and gave him a sweet kiss.

"Sleep tight Jim." She said and Jim could only grin at her sweetness.

The following morning Jim woke up with the peaceful noises from the servants outside his room. Nothing strange, just a normal morning. Anya was save and so was Melody. No need for panic nor rush actions. Jim yawned and lazily he turned to his left side to sleep a little more. He hadn't expect to meet a head of black hair, but he did. Sleepy Jim looked down, Melody sat on her knees at his bedside at the level of his head. She had fallen asleep with her face down on his mattress and with her right hand she held on to his blankets.  
A loud clang from outside jerked Melody out of her dreams and she looked bewildered around. Finally her eyes rested upon Jim, who looked at her with his head resting in his hand, his elbow placed upon his pillow. He gave her an amused grin and her cheeks coloured from embarrassment.

"Good morning." Jim grinned. "Worried the servants might miss you?"

"Eh? Oh no." Answered Melody absently. "The only one who dares to come into my room is Tiana and she is not one to panic easily."

"Why is she the only one who comes into your room?"Asked Jim surprised.

"One of the maids, Marloes (I thought it best to use a common Dutch name for this. You pronounce the 'oe' as 'oo' in the word 'bloom') once found me unconscious on the floor when my spirit left my body for the first time. I guess the same thing from yesterday happened to her and I scared her pretty bad." Melody told it so casually, but Jim thought it extremely rude and foolish from the servants."Well, see you at breakfast." Melody said cheerfully and she turned on her heels to leave the room.

**AN: Happy new years Day every one! You probably won't read this today, but when you do let me know! **** Much more will happen in the next chapter, I promise!**


	19. Chapter 19

Eris' offer

Jim stared at the door after Melody had shut it behind her. _What was that all about? _He asked himself. Melody had clearly some issues she didn't want to talk about. He stood up from his bed, since he had fallen asleep fully dressed, he had little to do apart from putting un his shoes and fixing his hair. Lazily and a bit grumpy he moved about in his room, collecting his shoes. When he sat down at his writing desk to put on his shoes a funny feeling that someone was creeping in on him came to him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Suspicious Jim looked about, but his room appeared to be empty. _Well of course it was!_ Said a voice in Jim's head. He got up and went to the mirror, but he didn't look in it while he gave a firm jerk on his pony tail. Once again the funny shivers went down his spine and it told him to leave the room, immediately.  
In a rush, Jim made for the door. The door, which Melody had left ajar, slammed shut and the fire in the grate went out, leaving Jim in the semi- darkness of the early morning. A mad laughter ringed through the walls and it seemed to move around.

Jim turned around. "Who are you?" He called into his room.

"Ha ha who do you think, Jim?" Sang a voice so familiar it made Jim's blood run cold. "Don't tell me you have forgotten me."

Jim looked at his mirror, where Eris's voice had come from. True enough, he didn't see his own reflection but an empty realm of nothingness from which two scary glowing eyes watched him.

Cautiously Jim moved closer to the mirror. "What do you want?"

Around the glowing eyes a face took form, followed by a neck and shoulders and soon enough Eris emerged from the mirror. Her eyes wide and mad, her arms outstretched like she was about to grow claws and bat-like wings. She made absolutely no sound as her invisible feet touched the stone floor of the room. "Now Jim, don't be so rude, I only want a quick word with you." She smile amused and she let her arms down and placed her right hand on her hip.

"About what?"Snapped Jim.

Eris began to walk towards him, her hips swinging seductively at every step she made, smoke swarmed all around her. "Your roll here Jim." She said to him in accusing sort of way. "You have the true makings of a pirate, the desire to be free to do whatever you want. To be cut off from responsibilities and nobility. To look only after yourself and yet you linger here." Eris stopped in front of him. "A pirate doesn't stay in one place, Jim. Nor does he save helpless princesses."

"I'm not a pirate!" Reacted Jim angrily and his eyes shot from left to right in search for something to defend himself with.

Eris gave a hollow laugh. "Don't give me that, deep down you are, Jim. It is there, in your heart, I can see it. There never will be a place for Melody in that heart, unless you leave her after this." Eris malevolently bared her teeth.

"What the hell are you talking about?"Spat Jim back.

"Your wishes, Jim." Eris replied softly and she took two more swinging steps. "I am a goddess, don't you think I can see what you really want. I watched you from the time you were just a little child. You always wanted to be a pirate and you still can be, if you let Melody go.

"How stupid do you think I am!" Jim had had it with this talk! He ran over to the fireplace and snatched a pair of very sharp fire tongs and held them defensively in front of him.

Eris grinned broadly, with a rushing sound she soared up to him and went with triumph right through Jim's weapon. "You cannot kill a goddess, Jim." She said greatly amused. "But now that I have your attention –"

Jim was nailed to the ground while he watched with horror how the goddess shrunk and changed herself into a very scary girl of the age of fifteen. Her black hair hung in thick locks over her face, but still her mad glowing eyes shown right through it and she stared at him, leaning closer and closer.

"I can make you free. A pirate, what say you to that?" said Eris in a hoarse, soft voice. She was so close Jim could feel her breath getting hotter and hotter on his face. With horror he realized what she was about to do. Just before she could press her lips upon his, He let himself slit down through his knees and quickly moved away towards the window, the fire tongs in front of him again.  
Eris turned, let out an annoyed sigh and retook her original form.

"You are aware that I can kill you, right?" she asked him, rather casually.

"So why don't you?" snared Jim, he knew it wasn't a good move, but his hatred towards the goddess got the better of him.

"Must I reveal everything to you?" said Eris and she sounded bored. "Let's just say that I like what's inside you, Jim. Your will to get what you want is even to Sinbad's and he got very far. Of course, he had bits which annoyed me and so do you. But I could use a young man like you. Let's make a deal, shall we? I'll give you the freedom you wish for and you cause some good disasters for me at your pirate games. Think about it Jim, I could make you the most notorious pirate in the world, no one will ever look down on you again." She grinned widely at him.

"Man if you truly know my wishes than you know how wrong you are, right?" Jim said irritated.

"Aha." Eris said sarcastic.

"Yeah!" snapped Jim. "I would have become a pirate, that's what I told myself after my useless merchant sailor of a father left us. I would personally rob him someday and show him how weak he is. I left my mother in a rage, but instead of gong pirating, I became a sailor on the same ship as my brother. The whole crew looked down on me for years and my idiotic brother loved it. I wished I had had the courage to stow away on a strange ship, Like Audrey had done and I loathed her for the courage she had. She climbed higher on the ladder than I did, because she knew her stuff about ships, but I learned to like her in the end. We had the luck to be on Captain Amelia's ship, although she often scowled me like my own mother always had done. Because of her I began to write to my mother, send a letter to her every time we got ashore. Someday I will go to her again and when I sail away from this island, it will be under Captain Amelia's orders. You say you want to give me the freedom I want? I want to be free with Melody. Release her!"

Eris only looked at him for a moment. "Well done Jim," she said. "You bored me stiff. I will take my leave now." And with a last sickly sweet: 'See ya' she vanished.

Jim stood there, nailed on the spot. The impact of the event slowly sinking in on him. He had yelled to a all powerful goddess. She could have killed him here and now. Eris' mad eyes were still clear in his mind and he shivered involuntarily. Jim swore to himself not to lose his temper to a goddess ever again. When his breathing got normal again and his heartbeat slowed down a little he began to wonder: What does she want with me? Why does she need someone to cause chaos when there is so much already?  
when he couldn't think of an answer, he decided to go downstairs to eat breakfast. It was no surprise to him to find the dining room deserted. It didn't matter, though. After he had eaten, he would go straight to Milo's room. And he would not leave until they figured a way to stop Eris.

**AN: Hi, I don't have much to say this time, only this: PLEASE REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20

Harmonia

After breakfast Jim went straight to talk to Milo. When he entered Milo's room, he noticed that he wasn't the only one who got that idea. To his great surprise Jim saw princess Kida of Atlantis sitting down besides Milo behind a little table in the middle of the room, listening intently to his talking.

"Princess Kida?" Jim couldn't hide his surprise when he closed the door behind him as he entered the room.

"Oh hello, Jim wasn't it?"she greeted gleefully. Jim gazed to Milo, who gave him a 'I don't really get it either' look. Jim had just settled himself down on Milo's desk chair when the door slammed open and Melody emerged into the room.

"Kida!"she exclaimed and Kida made her way to her cousin to greet her with a tight hug. "What are you doing here?" Melody asked with joyful interest.

"Well you know it has been a long time since I've been on the surface world. I want to relearn all that I have forgotten and Milo offered to help me." explained Kida happily.

"So that means you will stay here?" asked Melody eagerly and Kida nodded.

"I'm sure I can be of some help to you, Melody." she said.

"I sure you hope you can." Said Jim grimly. All eyes were suddenly on him. Apparently everyone had forgotten that he was there too, but that didn't bother Jim and he went on with his tale just as he had meant to. "We need all the help we can get against Eris and it's time we figure out a good plan." When Jim saw the surprised looks from the others, he continued truthfully: "Eris just appeared in my room. She wants me for some other game she got planned. What it is I don't know, but I'm not going to wait for it to become clear. I'm certain it is much bigger this time than enjoying somebody else's misery. She spoke of the world." A silence fell after this. Melody moved into the room and settled herself down on the couch. From time to time she looked at every face in the room, waiting for someone to speak. Milo walked to his bookshelves and stared at the one that was at level with his eyes. Slowly he drew one book from the shelve and when Milo turned to face the others, Jim could read the title on the cover: 'Ancient Greek Gods.'  
Milo placed the book on the table and crouched down on his knees in front of it. He opened it at the index, afterwards he turned the book the other way to look at the alphabetic keywords at the back. When he had found what he was looking for, he flipped to the right page and leaned back to allow the lamp, hanging from the ceiling, to give the book its full light.  
Jim leaned forwards to the book and could just make out the name 'Eris' at the top of the page, before Milo slammed it shut and returned the book to its shelf, from which he took another book. This book, titled: 'The Great Dark Forces Of This World', seemed to be satisfactory and when Milo opened the book on a very long text about Eris, everyone leaned towards the table and began to read.

_Eris, Goddess of Discord_

_Eris, one of the original and oldest Gods of Greek mythology, represent and wills Chaos, the darkest force known to mankind.  
Unlike most of the old Gods, Eris has little fame. Facts about her appearance are even unknown. Some say that she can only drive man to do her bidding by whispering into their ears, for her hideous appearance would scare them off. They say she has a head full of black snakes and a scaly body, but this is just a well-known confusion with the gorgon Medusa (page 339) Eris is seen as a spirit of chaos and therefore able to transform herself, for chaos comes in many shapes and sizes.  
Eris in a daughter of Nyx, Goddess of the Night and like her mother Eris was born to play some role in the balance of the world.-_

Jim couldn't help himself from snorting, the world would be well-balanced without her misery-spreading games!

_Although the darkness is a threatening thing, there is as much light and order to keep it in check. That is the balance of the world. Eris is bound to certain rules, laid down by Nemesis, Goddess of Vengeance, but also Balance. (page 254). Eris cannot ,for instance, kill at will, she is bound to keep her bloodlust to the battlefields, which she uses to haunt.- _

Again, Jim found himself being skeptical about this. '_Those rules aren't very precise, are they? She already threatened to kill me and she caused enough bloodshed in Atlantis.'_ But just as Jim thought this, he realized that Milo had stopped reading. Jim looked at him curiously and saw that Milo was looking at the two princesses.

"Did you know this? About those rules?"

"Of course." Replied Melody grimly. "That's why she let one of her pets do the killing in Atlantis. She can't do it herself. It will not matter to her of course, like the text says, she simply loves to see bloodshed.. It doesn't matter to her how it's done. Another rule, that is linked with this one, is that she is not allowed to kill an offspring of the Gods for no reason. That's why she let the sun kill me."

Milo stared at her." When you say 'offspring of the Gods'-"

"King Triton, my grandfather and lady Idatea, Kida's late mother are the son and daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite, God and Goddess of the seas." replied Melody casually.

Milo gaped at her, but then he pulled himself together and read on.

_Another rule, set by Nemesis, is that all Gods are bound to keep their promises. This is how the famous pirate Sinbad outsmarted Eris, during his quest to retrieve the book of peace which she had stolen.  
we believe that it is thanks to these rules that the Dark Forces are kept in check and why Eris stays hidden most of the time._

The text ended here. There had to be more, al it said about weaknesses did they already know. Milo seemed to be thinking the same thing. He turned the to the next page of the book, only to find a new chapter about Harpies.

"Do you have another book that might give us some more information?" asked Jim him desperately. He looked at Melody and saw that she was close to tears. They had set all their hopes on Milo to find a way to defeat Eris.

"Wait a minute." Said Milo slowly and he turned the page back to the text about Eris again. "Yes, that's it." He murmured. He rushed to the bookshelves again and got out another book. When he threw it on the table, Jim saw that it was in fact the same book Milo had picked before 'The Great Dark Forces Of This World'._ 'What had he realized?'  
_Once again he opened the book on the little information concerning Eris.

_Eris_

_Daughter of Nyx and most unpleasant goddess of all gods. Eris, Goddess of Discord, Strife and Chaos, once threw an apple as gift for the 'most beautiful goddess' in the middle of three goddesses with great powers and with that, caused the Trojan War. All because she didn't get an invitation to a wedding.  
Even though Eris's desire for wars, comes very close to that of the War God Ares, she prefers to work alone and answers to no one. Her natural counterpart is Harmonia, Goddess of Harmony and Peace._

"Harmonia, maybe she can help!"exclaimed Jim excited, but when he looked at Milo, he saw a grim expression on his face.

"This is getting us nowhere, there is even less information about Harmonia than there is about Eris." sighed Milo. "All we know is that she is a love child of Aphrodite and Ares and for that Hephaestus, Aphrodite's husband, gave her a cursed necklace which turned her into a snake."  
Jim's heart sunk, this was not at all what he wanted to hear.

"Have you got a book about the history of Atlantis?"asked Kida out of the blue. "There's some information about her in there."

"Right!" Milo didn't know how quick he could get the right book. He almost collapsed into the wooden shelves to get it. "Here," he said and he threw the book to Kida, who immediately began to search for the right page. When she found it, she read out loud:

'Being the goddess of prosperity and peace, Harmonia grew very fond of the country Atlantis. She gifted the king with a great jewel that would give them knowledge and health forever. However, the king misused the jewel and thereby betrayed the goddess' trust. Out of rage, Harmonia let the city's great capital, also named Atlantis, sink. The people were strong and grew fins to survive. Harmonia had lost, the gods were not pleased by her injustice, for only the king was to blame, and so they tricked Harmonia by giving her an necklace which transformed her into a serpent. Un the islands of the blessed she took her refuge, together with her husband Cadmus.'

"So we need to go to the Islands of the blessed?"asked Jim, feeling completely thrown off his feet.

"That won't be easy." replied Kida grimly. "To enter the islands of the blessed as a mortal, you have to ask for permission to the Lord and Lady of the underworld: Hades and Persephone."


	21. chapter 21

To the treacherous forest

Though dreadful, Jim had now found the key to stop Eris and he was ready to use it. Melody would go with him, she shared his desperation to get rid of the goddess, her company was a fact.  
Jim was surprised, however, to find Milo volunteering to accompany them. Jim knew there was more bravery in Milo than you ought to think, but he never expected him to go into the underworld. Even so, Milo looked pretty determined and so Jim accepted his help.  
Kida said she would come too. Her knowledge of the gods could guide them through. Jim gladly accepted her. It would be much better to have information at hand without the need to bring books on the journey.

"How exactly can we enter the underworld?" Asked Jim Kida, after they all had agreed on each other's company.

"There are several places in the world where the ground has been touched by evil. There are quite a few in The Netherlands, really. We just have to go to the nearest one and that would be either in the province Friesland or in Drente. In Drente there once lived a dangerous bandit who killed many innocent people before he himself was brutally killed. You can still hear the screams and pleads from his restless victims. But it is on an open road and we have to avoid the struck of midnight, when the place becomes dangerously haunted." Kida sighed. "Friesland, however is much closer to our island and there are many forests there."

"No Kida, you're thinking too far." Melody interrupted thoughtfully. "We have a dark place here on Terschelling: 'Het Hoornse Bos' or 'The horns' forest.'"

"That forest isn't haunted." Said Kida, almost reproachfully.

"You've been away for quite some time Kida. It wasn't haunted, but a few years ago really dark things started to happen in that forest. There are many dark paths across it and at the centre lies a swamp. So many have drowned there that the place is now plagued by the unquiet dead. At the edge of that swamp, we will find our doorway to the underworld."

Kida looked surprised, but impressed. Clearly she hadn't expected her little niece to know all this. Het Hoornse Bos was located at the shore, a few miles to the east. Melody reckoned the easiest way to get there was to simply walk over the sands when it was low tide. So they gathered everything they thought they might need and set off for the shore.  
Jim didn't say it because it was not at all the moment for it, but he felt really excited. He never walked over the bottom of the sea before! According to Melody, the people in The Netherlands call it 'Wadlopen' and it's a reason for people from all over the country to come to these islands. Maybe he'll get to see a jellyfish. He felt pretty stupid about this sudden excitement he was feeling, but he was sure Milo felt it too. He and Milo had tried to make other arrangements, but Captain Amelia didn't feel too keen on another detour. She waited a long time to set sail and when she did she would sail for France as planned. Dimitri and Anya felt the same way. Dimitri was pretty annoyed with his younger brother for ever considering to go on another adventure which didn't concern them. Jim couldn't blame him, Anya had endured enough and Dimitri didn't want to mess with their future together.

it was a beautiful day, the sky had a clear blue color and the sun shone a bright lively light upon the quiet shore. It was so peacefully, it was hard to believe that this sunny trip would led them down the underworld.  
"How long till it's low water?"asked Jim.

"I think in about 20 minutes. Look, I can hardly see the sea line anymore." Milo was right, the sands in front of them lay bare and the sea could only be seen as a thing greenish blue line in the distance. Jim stooped down and felt the wet sand, or mud. It was weird. It felt spongy, but heavy and thick at the same time.

"You're sure we're not going to sink through?" Jim wondered aloud.

Melody giggled. "Of course not, many people have walked on it. Ok, you ready?"

"What now? The 20 minutes haven't past yet!" Said Milo startled.

"No, but we don't have to travel very far, the water is far enough and it will move from us as we walk." Replied Melody. "Does anyone have a compass."

"I have one." Replied Milo brightly and he pulled a tiny travel-compass from his bag.

"Good, we have to keep heading east."

"Got it, follow me."

The landscape was surprisingly flat, Jim figured it would be more hill-like, more uneven. The sun shone brightly upon the sands, making it hard for everyone to see straight. Jim tried to keep Milo's thin figure in sight, but he had to change his course a few times when his feet had stirred him too much to the right. At some point he lost his sense of direction and he wondered whether either Kida or Melody knew to recognize their destination. A strong wind blew in their faces and Jim's eyes watered like madness. His excitement had been replaced by annoyance. He swung around to ask the princesses whether they knew how long this journey would take, when he noticed a fifth figure, walking a little behind Kida and Melody.

"Who are you?" bellowed Jim through the wind. Kida and Melody stopped dead in their tracks. Startled by Jim's outburst. "What do you want?" asked Jim on, at the top of his voice. He tried to see the figure more clearly, but the wind blew his hair into his eyes and the sun draped a big shadow over the stranger's features. Whoever it was, he or she was walking fast with firm, demanding steps.  
It was now clear that the person was quite small and Jim got a pretty good idea who it might be.  
Soon enough, they all recognized Audrey running towards them. Milo, who had been walking on until he noticed that his party had left him, had doubled back.

"Audrey, what are you doing here?" He asked her accusingly when he stopped in front of her.

"Why didn't you include me in this?" Spat Audrey back in the same accusingly tone.

"There wasn't a reason really." Milo said while scratching his neck to avoid eye contact. "You were just not with us when we planned it all."

"But you told Captain Amelia and she told me." Audrey folded her arms across her chest and stared hard into Milo's eyes. Clearly she mainly blamed him for this.

"No one wants you out of this, Audrey." Assured Melody her kindly and she put a caring arms around Audrey's shoulders. Audrey didn't reply, she let her arms down and released Milo from her gaze. Without speaking the five of them continued their journey.

At last they saw some higher ground with long grass ahead. They arrived at a beach, or at least, it used to be when the sea line would touch it's shore.  
As they climbed the little hill of green, they used the grass palms to wipe the mud off their shoes.

"Where to now?" Jim yelled while he ferociously rubbed his left shoe on an large palm of grass. When he looked up, however, he saw that his question had been unnecessary . From the beach led only one trail downhill into a thick forest: Het Hoornse Bos.  
Kida had already proceeded downhill, followed by Milo and Melody. Silently, Jim and Audrey hurried after them.

"Strange, isn't it?" Whispered Audrey after a while. "This place seems so peaceful, it is not dark at all, even though the trees are standing so close to one another."

"It doesn't have to be." replied Melody darkly. "The dark is trying to catch you off guard. You may think this forest is peaceful, but in its very heart has its share of darkness."

"How do you know all this? You never left you castle." Asked Jim.

"I've heard stories from sailors who once ventured here. They all lost friends here. Some drowned in the swamp, others were taken by the unquiet dead."

Audrey shivered. "So how are we going to survive this?"

"We have to reach the gate to the underworld before the struck of midnight. We must stick together and we mustn't listen to whatever impulse we get into our heads."

**AN: So sorry for the wait! **** I hope you will forgive me and review!**


	22. Chapter 22

The threats from the forest

'Ignore our impulses.' Jim wondered what Melody meant by that, but seeing the circumstances, he dreaded any answer to that question. So he chose to keep his mouth shut and to walk on. Down the still calm path, down a quiet forest road, which would lead them to a dangerous destination. As the trees grew closer to each other, the light of got pushed away, making the forest unnaturally dark. Thin ribbons of mist began to swarm around their feet and Jim became awfully aware of his feet, dragging him forwards into this unknown darkness, which would certainly lead to their deaths.

'We have to go back!' Cried a panicked voice inside his head and, although that voice didn't seem at all like his usual self, he agreed. Just in time, before he wanted to give in to his urge to abandon his friends and run off, he understood. These were the impulses Melody had warned them about. He took a deep breath to calm himself, to push his fears away and remember why he was here. 'Eris is a much bigger threat, you have to endure this to help Melody.' He told himself.  
it was just after Jim had succeeded in clearing his head, when he realized that Audrey was no longer walking beside him. She had frozen on the spot and stared with big scared eyes at the backs of Milo, Kida and Melody who continued to walk forwards into the forest.

"It's ok Audrey, you can keep walking." said Jim as he walked back to her and shook her shoulders slightly. Audrey didn't reply, however, she didn't even seem to hear him. "Audrey, what's wrong? Answer me!" He spun around to look for the others who continue to head for the heart of the forest. 'Why weren't they stopping?' he wondered. Maybe he should run to them, but then he would have to leave Audrey by herself. 'No, he had to stay with Audrey!' Something made him very sure of that fact. Jim looked back at her. She looked terrified, like she knew something dreadful would soon grab her and drag her into the darkness.  
"Audrey, what is it? What do you see? Do you remember what Melody said? You have to ignore all the impulses this place gives you! You can move forward!"Jim began to panic. Why didn't the others stop?  
"Hey, guys!" He bellowed and at the same time he wondered why he hadn't yelled before. 'Dawn this treacherous forest!'

At last Milo and Melody turned around. They blinked with their eyes and for a split second Jim saw only white in their eyes, like they were suddenly blind, before their pupils reappeared. Jim shook his head to get rid of the eerie sight, it must have been his imagination. "Come back!" He told them. "I think something's wrong with Audrey!"

Milo returned with a very confused expression on his face, like he had to remember something from some time ago. Jim couldn't less however, he was glad they came finally to his aid. Melody came back halfway, then she noticed Kida hadn't come and she doubled back to fetch her.

"What's wrong with her?" Asked Milo when he arrived right in front of Audrey. He began to click with his fingers to get her to react, but Audrey's expression didn't change, she didn't even see him.

"It's this bloody forest." scowled Jim. "She is frozen on the spot with fear."

"Maybe it is, because she doesn't know the full purpose of our journey. She only heard it second-hand after all." Said Milo, thinking hard. "This place can scare her more easily and put false images in her head because she is ignorant to our determination."

"Could be, but you guys were pretty far away with your minds yourselves. When you finally turned around, your eyes were blank. We have to stay together."

Milo nodded. "You're right."  
they returned their attention to Audrey. Jim grabbed her arm and with a jolt of fear withdrew it. Something, cold and dead, had a hold on Audrey's left arm and, undoubtedly, on her right arm too. It had yanked on Jim's hand, trying to capture him too.

"What was that?" Jim wondered aloud and, for a moment, he had forgotten Milo's presence and jumped when he began to speak.

"What do you mean?"

"Something's got Audrey in its grip. It tried to get me as well."

Milo looked down at Audrey's arms. "She is fading." He said and he was right, Audrey's brawny skin became pale and transparent. Milo stooped down and brought his face close to hers.  
"Audrey, you can fight it." He said to her in a kind, but urgent voice. "I remember you never taking any threat from on one. You're stronger than this place. Audrey, we need your stubbornness and strength!" Milo's voice grew more and more desperate as Jim watched Audrey's skin fade away.

"We never meant to leave you and we never thought you would be too scared to come!"Yelled Jim in Audrey's ear. Cold fear creeping in one his insides. "You can do anything so snap out of it, Audrey!"  
Then at last, Audrey's expression began clear and so did her skin, she became solid again.

"….but we will all die here, the swamp will swallow us whole." Audrey whispered.

"Oh, come off it!" Yelled Jim with small relieve to hear her voice at last. "Do you really think we're that stupid? Come on Audrey, we have endured more deadly storms than we can remember and you yourself risked your live when you decided to stow away on an unknown ship. We can make it! The underworld is our concern, not this stupid forest!"

"Yeah." She said softly. Yeah, you're right." Her eyes became lively again and with a shivering breath she jumped forwards, away from the unseen dead, into Milo's arms who had forgotten to jump aside in time.  
Awkwardly they broke apart and for the first time ever, Jim saw a tiny blush appear on Audrey's cheeks. "Oops, sorry Milo."She said she resumed her firm step and walked away from them to join the other girls. Jim looked at Milo, shuddered and made to follow her.  
Kida and Melody had let them far behind and a slight curve in the road to the left in the growing darkness made it very hard to spot them. Audrey disappeared when she took the turn and a new feeling of dread filled Jim's chest and he began to walk faster, Milo copied him. It remained awfully quiet as they closed in on the turn of the road. Then a terrible scream reached their ears.

"Kida don't! it's m-" The pleading voice of Melody broke off and a sickening chocking sound followed. Jim broke into a run and he knew Milo would follow at his heels. Hurrying around the trees that marked the curve of the road, Jim realized who had made the scream. Audrey was desperately trying to pull Kida's hands from Melody's throat, who began to get purple in the face as a result of nearly suffocation.

"STOP!" yelled Jim and Milo together as they ran towards the scene and halted just in front of Kida, still holding Melody in her strangling grip.  
Kida turned to face them and with a nonchalant swing she threw Melody against a tree. She slide down and began to cough and pant on the ground. Audrey immediately rushed over to her side to help her up.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Yelled Jim and he launched himself at Kida. Kida's eyes were blank, like Jim had noticed moments ago by Milo, but hers were glowing. Great, empty orbs of bluish light, they were. Jim felt his rage lessen at the sight of her vague expression. She was no different from Audrey, taken by the forest. In his confusion he got thrown aside by Milo, who had taken advantage of the formers' doubts.

"Stop it, let me." Milo said. "Kida?"  
Jim's rage at Milo for pushing him aside, melted away by the shock her received from the hurt in Milo's voice.  
"Kida, it's me."

Kida took a few steps backwards. "What are you doing?" she asked them in a harsh voice that was not her own. "You should not linger to help the fallen."

"If we can, we will help our friends. No one will be left behind!"Retorted Jim and he joined Audrey at Melody's side, who struggled to her feet with Audrey's help.

"That will only slow you down. No group has ever survived this forest fully." replied Kida coldly."I can lead you straight to The Gate, follow me."

"We will follow Kida, but not you." Stated Milo firmly and he advanced on Kida again. Kida, however, was ready for him and seized his throat.  
Jim and Audrey reacted simultaneously, but there was no need. Milo withdrew from his pants pocket a pocket-knife and clicked it open. In one movement, he cut through the necklace around Kida's neck, which held the glowing Kristal. He caught the Kristal and pushed it into the side-pocket of his bag.  
At once Kida let go of him and Milo landed on all fours on the earthy ground. In a blink of an eye Milo was on his feet again, just in time to catch Kida before she would collapse.

She opened her eyes and felt the place where her necklace should have been. "Milo?" She asked.

"Yes?" Replied Milo softly and he made to let her stand on her own.

Kida stood there for a few seconds, staring at her feet. Jim assumed she felt ashamed of herself, but then she reached up and closed her arms around Milo's neck and pulled him towards her and kissed him hard on the lips.

Jim looked around for the others and saw his own surprise reflected on their faces. Milo, however, only goofily pushed his glasses back on his nose, for they were close to fall off.

**AN: Daha! What do you think? Please review! Also, I am in my finals for my education, so I don't know when I will be able to complete another chapter, I hope you can forgive me.**


	23. Chapter 23

In the Underworld

As they proceeded to the swamp, the ground under their feet became more soft and slippery. The trees grew steadily more apart from each other and the five travelers found their path suddenly lid by a dusky light. The mist continued to crawl around their feet as they walked with their pocket-lanterns lit. They stayed very close to one another from now on. Jim even took hold of Melody's hand to ensure that she stayed with him. The two of them made op the rear, Kida and Milo walked shoulder-to-shoulder in the front with Audrey walking behind them in the middle. Being a group of an uneven number like five was indeed inconvenient, but Audrey didn't complain. Audrey was strong, she liked to look after herself and so she agreed to walk with no one beside her, but from time to time she grabbed the handle from Milo's bag and glared at the ground as she withdrew one of her feet from one of the sides of the path. It was clear that Audrey saw things the others did not.  
They walked on cautiously on the soft uneven ground till they entered a large clearing, with in its center the swamp. It was completely camouflaged by the green plants and high grass around it and in the moonlight, everything looked gray and solid. They stayed at the roots of the large trees, which needed vast ground to stand. They moved slowly around the swamp. Swamp -gas intermingled with the mist and the wind sang ghostly in their ears, whispering strange massages. Audrey shivered violently. "What time is it?"

"About ten minutes before midnight." Replied Milo, checking his watch by the light of his lantern.

"Let's hurry then, where's that gate?"

"There, I can see some opening in the ground ahead." Whispered Kida and she quickened her pace, expecting everyone to follow.

She was right, at the feet of two monstrous trees lay an yawning hole. At first Jim thought it was just a deep tunnel they all had to jump into, hoping the fall would not break their bones, but as he looked closer he saw a steep set of stone steps, leading downwards, into the darkness of the Underworld.

" Six minutes to midnight." said Milo's voice to bring them all back to business. He and Kida started to descent the stairs, keeping their formation with Jim and Melody at the rear. Still holding Melody's hand Jim followed Audrey into the tunnel, glad with the lanterns they had brought with them. On they went and on the stairs led downwards. There seemed to be no end to it, but then again, they were going to the Underworld. The longer they walked down, the more Jim worried that they might trip and fall down. If that happened he would bump into Audrey, causing her to fall together with Kida and Milo and he would drag Melody with him. It got very cold too. It was a cold which bit at your insides, making it hard to breath, but no one was shivering and their breaths remained unseen. It was the cold of the Underworld. Whispers began to rise again, but this time they were not just in one's ear, everyone could hear them clearly.

"Ga terug, anders kom je hier nooit meer vandaan! Red jezelf!"

Jim couldn't understand a word, but he felt Melody squeeze his hand and he understood.

" These whispers, they're in Dutch, right?"

" Yes, they tell us to go back, that we have to save ourselves," replied Kida grimly. "but we already know that, we know our mission." Kida quickened her step, she sounded tough, but it was also obvious that she wanted to get away from the whispers.  
Then it happened, it was so quick that no one could do anything to evade it. Whether Jim himself was the one who caused it, he would never know for sure, but they fell as one from the stairs.  
Jim pulled Melody tightly against his body to shield her from the sharp edges of the steps, while he and the others bumped all the way down the stairs.  
Aching all over and highly annoyed they came to their feet and looked around. They had landed at the mouth of an hallway, entirely made from stone, which bathed in ghostly green light. The walls were merely rough rocks, but the floor was smooth and shiny. Without another word to each other, the five travelers passed under the stone archway into the hall.  
you would accept their footsteps to echo against the stone walls, but nothing is as it should be in the Underworld and their feet were unheard. Jim could not decide what he preferred, this unnatural silence or the threatening whispers he could not understand. The hall wasn't long and soon they heard water rushing through a stream up ahead. They reached a very broad river, filled with strange black water, lined with white wisps of mist. The air was suddenly filled with screams and howls of despair and they saw with great shock that it came from the white wisps which turned out to be ghosts. They were the souls of the dead, on their way to the Underworld to hear whether they deserved a peaceful afterlife. The cold closed in again and suddenly Jim found himself face to face with dead wide eyes. Ghosts climbed one by one on the shore. Jim looked at Milo and Kida for answers and he saw Melody and Audrey do the same and Kida shook her head in a calm and reassuring way.

"According to my books these ghosts are no harm to us." said Milo. " They just wait for the ferryman to take them across the river, just like us.

" You mean we will take a boat-ride with the dead?" asked Audrey in an unusual high voice.

"No we will just wait for our turn." replied Milo, but the dead kept on coming and they had no choice but to stand in the middle of a line of ghosts. The stream was rough, it would be impossible for anyone to swim across, so the only hope to get across lay with the ferryman.  
After a while, they heard the sound of a little boat moving through the water, the ferryman called Charon had arrived. He was nothing more than a skeleton with thin white skin and large hollow eye sockets. Audrey gripped Jim's free hand and stared at the ferryman with great horror. Jim knew why this figure who was barely more than a zombie scared her and he himself felt himself shiver with fear. Allowing Kida on board on their journey was the best decision Jim had ever made in his life. The moment Charon stepped off his little boat, the ghosts began to crowd around him and pushed each other away to get the first ride. Jim and the others had to be careful not to touch any of the ghosts, because everyone knows that the touch of a ghost is a dreadful experience. Kida however took the lead at that moment, she walked up to Charon (for there was no line anymore) and handed something to him, which she had collected from her bag. The ferryman bowed his head in thanks and gestured to the remaining of the living souls to enter the boat. The boat looked like it could just hold them and it wobbled heavily when they stepped in. Charon pushed them away from the shore with his one oar and they started to sail over the wailing river, the stinx. Apparently Charon didn't care who he had to bring across as long as they paid him for it.

Charon took his time to paddle through the water and it seemed to be exhausting for him. There was not much to see during their boat ride, the walls they passed were all made from the same rough stone and they all rose high to the ceiling. At one point the river split itself up into three directions. The left one was made of fire and seemed to go all the way around the realm, to serve as a very dangerous moat. The right river was filled with salt water, the riverbank was crowded with sobbing souls, kneeling beside the river and filling it with their tears. Charon stirred the boat right ahead along the same black river.

Jim counted themselves lucky that they didn't turn left or right, until they saw a monstrous dog with three heads ahead. The dog was so big that, when they passed it, their boat only reached his front paws. A few feet away from the dog, they reached shore. They five friends leaped from the boat, glad that they had survived the ride. Charon pushed his boat away again and began to paddled slowly his way back the other side again.

They had to climb a steep stairway and walk through a cave-like passage till they reached yet another queue of the dead. The queue lined up passed a set of great stone thrones. The thrones stood on a plateau and on the bottom of its stairs stood a blindfolded lady, holding a set of gold scales.

" What now?" whispered Audrey.

"We wait for our judgment from Nemesis, than we can talk to Lord Hades." replied Kida matter-of-factly.

" But doesn't she only judge dead people?"

" Not necessarily, we are here too, maybe she will do the same for us."

"Maybe? What will she do if we are not allowed to pass?" Jim asked, but he didn't need to hear the answer for he had noticed the sharp sword the goddess was carrying in her belt. Kida chose not to answer and stepped forward, to join the queue. Audrey, Jim, Melody and Milo exchanged some alarmed looks before they too stepped into the line.  
the queue moved very slow. Nemesis took her time with every soul. Jim and the others all got the shock of their lives when they saw that the souls who were founded unworthy for a peaceful afterlife were being dragged away by three monstrous women with shakes for hair. The women haunted the souls down the tear-river into the realm beyond, which had to be Tartarus. The realm of torture and home of Eris. Jim suddenly wondered if these gods understood that they were not looking for a permanent resting place.

Then, no more ghosts were standing in front of them and they faced the blindfolded goddess.  
"You five mortals, come forth and meet your judgment!" Called Nemesis is a low graceful voice. When they all moved towards her, hades bowed his head to them in astonishment. He was a tall man with a pointy face and teeth, his hair was a blast of blue flames. His eyes were cold and cruel, but at the same time amused.

" Well what do you know, mortals in the Underworld!" He exclaimed jollily. "Why are you here, eh?" He made to lean backwards, but suddenly bowed towards them again. " Oh wait, I recognize that skin and hair, you're Kida, princess of the city Atlantis, aren't you?"  
Kida didn't have to reply, Hades knew he had the right one in front of him. " So what's the deal this time, babe? You and your father certainly have some issues with the big guys above."

"Lord Hades, we are here to request a visit to the Islands of the Blessed for an audience with Harmonia, Goddess of the Balance."

"Harmonia again? Well you Atlantians sure love punishment! What is so important that are willing to beg her forgiveness, eh? Why the trouble?"

This speech was definitely not justified, Kida's father had been at fault, she had nothing to do with it.

" That's our business." Said Jim bravely and this got Hades' attention immediately, but Jim didn't care. This Hades awfully reminded him of Eris and it made sick to his stomach.

" Who are you then?" Asked Hades skeptically and he leaned back against the back of his throne.

" My name's Jim Hawkins."

" Never heard of you. What is your role in this? Do you want to gain something?"

" Yes I do." Said Jim and he tried to sound as rude as possible.

" Oh you do?" Hades burst into laughter. Then he turned to Melody who stood next to Jim. "and what about this young lady? You don't look so good. Seemed to me that this is no place for you." Jim wanted to interfere, but he saw Melody's eyes burn with determination and he restrained himself.

"I want to break free from my forced contract with Eris, that's why we need Harmonia's help."

"Oh Eris!" exclaimed Hades joyfully and his grin grew wider and he turned to his lady. "babe, do you hear that, they are after our lovely neighbor!"

His lady, Persephone Goddess of the Seasons and plant-life and queen of the Underworld, twisted her lips in a miniscule smile. She was a dreadful sight to see. Her skin hair and robes were all the same greyish-green color and her yellow-brown eyes were empty and sad.  
Hades noticed that his guests were all looking at Persephone and he spoke to them in high spirits:  
"Let me introduce you to my beautiful babe Persephone. Come, come my dear, stand up and let them see you!"  
Persephone stood up, she was very small and fragile and her face was very round and looked quite adorable. Now that Jim saw her up close, he felt a great sadness to see this young girl in this state.

"Welcome." Persephone said and although her voice sounded small, it was cold and hard as stone and Jim shivered. He recovered and tore his eyes from the dreadful goddess.

"Do you have some objection against our goal?" he asked Hades as his lady retook her seat.

"You framing Eris, go right ahead!" replied hades with a meaningful wave of his hand.

"Thank you." Said Jim stiffly. No, he didn't like Hades at all.

"Well my dear, the Islands are your department, tell them what the rules are." Said Hades to Persephone.

"You will only have one day to talk to Harmonia once you are there." Said Persephone. "Nemesis will decide whether you are worthy or not." She gestured to the blindfolded goddess who immediately approached Kida.

" You are first, please." Nemesis said.  
Kida nodded and stepped towards her. Nemesis held the set of scales in front of Kida so it was at level with her heart. The scales began to move up and down until the scale on the right dropped to its bottom. Nemesis smiled.

"You are very true to your heart, Kida." She said. " you know your dad did wrong, but you stay at his side, not because of blind affection, but because you can forgive and you know that he needs you." Kida gave the goddess a bow and Nemesis gestured to Milo to come closer. He did so with weak knees.  
The scales began to move and almost immediately the right scale sank to its bottom, but not as deep as it had done with Kida's judgment.

"You haven't endured much, have you?" The goddess asked him almost amused. Milo swallowed uncomfortably. "You believe in Justice and you tried hard to make you grandpa, who was also your guardian proud," she continued, " but you did not always do that the right way. You pass, this is good enough."

Milo stepped back hurriedly and looked very pale and almost sick, but Kida gave him a sweet smile and that seemed to help him a lot. Now it was Audrey's turn and the scales didn't seem to know what to do, they didn't move.

" This sometimes happens, when the person in question is not at all a bad person, but has done unjustified things." Explained Nemesis. " you have a difficult mother, who never took the time to get to know you and your sister, so you didn't think of her feeling when you left. Also, you never learned about trust and common courtesy, so you didn't think twice about deceiving Captain Amelia when you posed yourself as a sailor boy on her ship. You learned to trust people eventually and now you are a trustful companion. You pass, but I hope you will continue to follow this path, instead of the other."

"Thank you." Said Audrey politely and stepped back again.

Then it was Melody's turn, just like Milo she shook from head to toe, but nemesis gave her a soft smile as she stood before her. "You have no need to be afraid, my child. Justice knows one cannot always chose their fate."

Melody didn't seem so sure and she looked up at the Lord and Lady of the Underworld. Hades looked bored, but Persephone looked intrigued. She gave Melody, quite unexpectedly, a warm smile and suddenly she looked more like the innocent nymph she used to be. What also was unexpected was that Hades didn't seem annoyed by this transformation, in fact, he looked quite pleased.  
the scales in front of Melody began to move up and down. It kept going for a while, but at last the right scale rested on its bottom and Nemesis smile again.

"You handled yourself well, Melody." She told Melody. " I know it has been hard on you. You had to stay on that island with people who have been wrong to you and still you didn't want to leave them to Eris' merci. That's not something most people can do."

"Thank you." Melody sounded truly relieved and although no one was really sure the goddess would notice it, she gave nemesis a thankful smile.

Jim stepped forwards before the goddess said his name, he already knew it was his turn and he was suddenly uncomfortably aware of his evil thoughts towards his father and even his mother. The goddess held out the set of scales for the fifth time and the scales moved up and down and up and down, it was rather slow and to Jim's dismay the left scale slowed down at when it nearly reached the bottom, more than once.  
"You have a disobeying mind, Jim Hawkins." Said Nemesis accusingly. "your heart has suffered darkness after the departure of your father, but" she went on frowning slightly. "in the end you never gave in to these temptations to go pirating and rob your own father in revenge. You kept your mother's feelings in mind and didn't want to hurt her, but instead you got yourself in a lot of trouble and brought her to a nearly nerve breakdown. This is unacceptable."  
Jim stared at the goddess with a sick feeling of terror. He heard some inhales of breath behind him as several people wanted to contradict the goddess. The goddess however, went on: "but you also stayed incredibly loyal to Captain Amelia when Eris tried to lure you with your former wishes to set out on your own. Nemesis' expression softened and Jim remembered himself yelling at Eris. Telling her that, if he was to sail away, he would sail away under Captain Amelia's comment.  
"Finally," went the goddess on. "you are risking your life to help someone you just met. Even if you didn't love her, I know you would still have done the same. you have a good heart, Jim Hawkins, do not let Eris tell you otherwise."

The scales stopped moving and the right scale had sunk entirely to its bottom. Jim gave the goddess a respectable nod and moved back to stand among his friends again.

"You are worthy to visit the Islands of the Blessed." With that said, nemesis made a smoky portal out of thin air for them to pass through. "Remember, you have only 24 hours from now on to find Harmonia and talk to her. A portal will appear wherever you are at the moment you have to come back. The portal will then bring you to the edge of 'het Hoornse Bos'. Good luck."

With a certain feeling of apprehension, they walked as one through the strange portal, in the green Islands of the Blessed.

**AN: Hi ****guys, here is an extra-long chapter to make it up to you! I'm sorry, but I honestly have no ideas for the next will come to me eventually, but right now I'm pretty busy with my finals. So be patient please and review on this chapter, I really did my best! :) **


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